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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015166">Mr. Sandman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axidental_POL/pseuds/Axidental_POL'>Axidental_POL</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>GOT7, K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS, 사랑의 불시착 | Crash Landing on You (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cheesecake, Coffee, F/M, Frying pans are good weapons, I love Coffee okay?, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope is a Sweetheart, M/M, Multi, My own take on Sandman, OC can be scary too!, RM is scarier, Seri noona is awesome, So is Jung-hyeok I guess..., Strawberries, Tae is a little scary, Tags Are Hard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:19:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axidental_POL/pseuds/Axidental_POL</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lisha is just a coffee-addicted, broke college student trying to get through life. When she finds herself assaulted by mystical beings, she is suddenly dragged into the world of Sandmen. Will she be able to survive?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bangtan Boys Ensemble/Original Character(s), Bangtan Boys Ensemble/Reader, Jeon Jungkook/Original Female Character(s), Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Original Female Character(s), Kim Namjoon | RM/Original Female Character(s), Kim Seokjin | Jin &amp; Original Female Character(s), Kim Taehyung | V/Original Female Character(s), Min Yoongi | Suga/Original Female Character(s), Park Jimin (BTS)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Shadows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lisha is just a coffee-addicted, broke college student trying to get through life. When she finds herself assaulted by mystical sandmen, she is suddenly dragged into their world. Will she be able to survive?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hellfire burned through my veins as I continued to climb my way through hell. I literally could not feel my legs but this needed to be conquered. Why did stairs have to be so long, anyway? I swear these damned steps seemed to be getting longer and longer the further I go. I felt the sweat gather on my brow as I tried to drag my legs up. My bed would've seen me hours ago if the bus driver didn't speed off when work dragged on late. The eerie shadows around the corners made the trek up to my apartment even more unappealing. Why did I refuse when Seri offered to drive me home? Because I'm stupid and wanted to torture myself, that's why.</p><p>The shadows were probably just a side-effect anyways. I was running on coffee and sheer willpower at this point. Exhaustion was no stranger either, in fact, I’d probably consider it a constant friend at this point. Delusions and hallucinations weren’t far behind but I’d rather not associate myself with them given I could end up in the loony bin if I ever told anyone. I mean, what sane person sees shadows following them in the first place?</p><p>Shaking my head, I tried to get rid of the dramatic pathway my mind is going towards, hoping it might make the weird shadows lingering in the corners disappear. No such luck, especially since I think one just waved at me. Great. Waving shadows. I may be closer to insanity than I previously thought. </p><p> Groaning, I glanced at the stupid metal box they call an elevator. It broke down eight months ago and I really doubted the landlord would fix it anytime soon. Plus, with the noises I’d hear from inside, some sort of animal lived there. Probably a raccoon with the awful smell it gave off.  <br/>
 <br/>
 The dimmed corridor of the fifth floor could be considered the most habitable in the whole building… if you squint really hard anyways. The occasional graffiti littering the walls could be considered art, right? Plus, at least the funky marijuana smell wasn’t as bad on this floor as the others. The colorful walls of the building were the only bright thing about it considering the dark and shady residents that lived here. It's not surprising to find a drug dealer here, I know three live on this floor alone and others are probably scattered around the rest of the floors. Eli at the end of the hall was a pretty nice guy, considering the shady deals he gets himself into. The troll living in the basement of this building didn’t care about his tenants anyway. He was ugly, greasy, and fat. He also likes to harass everyone for money that they don't really owe. Honestly, it wouldn't be surprising if the troll was extorting rent money to fuel his gambling debts. He looked like the type to frequent pachinko parlors, beady-eyed like a mouse and greedy like a pig. Speaking of the troll, I find a gift from him posted on my door.  </p><p> “What the fuck?”  </p><p> I grabbed the paper roughly. It was an eviction notice. I remember paying rent last week! Ripping the form, I shoved it into my bag. Littering was no excuse, even in this dump. </p><p> Shoving the key inside the flimsy lock, I turned the knob and found my door stuck. I planted my foot on it, trying to kick with my tired legs. I should've bought grease before coming home. Not that I could afford it at the moment, anyways. I shoved at the door, pushing all my weight onto my shoulder and nearly falling on the floor as it gave way. My bag soon met the floor as I slammed the stubborn door closed and turned the multiple locks I had on it. It had to be done, especially if I didn’t want anyone ‘accidentally’ getting inside thinking it was their apartment. </p><p> I crashed on my bed. The heavy creaks echoing around me as a spring poked my rib. It was uncomfortable but it was the only bed I could afford with the savings I had. It was already hard enough to pay for this dingy, unlivable apartment.<br/>
 Sighing, I got up and fumbled around my bag for my phone. A notification popped up.</p><p><strong>Seri</strong><br/>
'Did you make it home yet???'  </p><p>I smiled. Seri was too sweet for this cruel world.  </p><p><strong>Lisha </strong><br/>
'yes i made it home'<br/>
 <br/>
<strong>Seri</strong><br/>
'I don't understand why you wanna stay in that dump of a building anyway when me and Jung-Hyeok offered our guest room to you!' </p><p><strong>Lisha </strong><br/>
'and ruin your honeymoon?? 😝 No tnx, id rather suffer the leaks than listen to you both' </p><p><strong>Seri</strong><br/>
'We are NOT that bad!!! Hmph! 😡'</p><p><strong>Lisha</strong> <br/>
'lol sure 😅' </p><p><strong>Seri </strong><br/>
'anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to grab breakfast tomorrow morning. there's a new cafe opened up near our place and it seems good! My treat!' </p><p>I chuckled. She knew my weakness. Free food. <br/>
 <br/>
<strong>Lisha </strong><br/>
'sure! Meet up at 10?' </p><p><strong>Seri</strong><br/>
'Yup! C ya tomorrow! Goodnight!! 🌛' </p><p><strong>Lisha</strong> <br/>
'night! 😘' </p><p> I logged off the chat and went through my nightly routine. Checking through the manga and fanfic updates. It was an inevitable addiction fueled by endless insomniac nights. I can’t help my funky work schedule and I had to study to keep my scholarship. It wasn’t like I had anybody that could suddenly pay for everything.  </p><p> It wasn’t too bad anyway. Coffee was my life-blood and more than made up for the lack of energy but Seri always insisted that I could pass off as a corpse given the dark bags I had under my eyes and how my skin always looked lifeless. I could probably pop a vein out by just breathing. But for the sake of my daily updates and lovely followers, I couldn’t help but sacrifice a few hours of sleep. It was my only stress-reliever. Fantasies and dreams that can be obtained at the touch of my fingers and imagination. </p><p> I was in the middle of reading an update from my favorite fic when someone coughed... Wait, cough? I looked around the small room. Maybe it was from next door? I wouldn't be surprised by how thin the walls were. I mean last week alone, I had to sleep with my pillow over my head to drown out my neighbors' moaning. Like, I know what it’s like to need some but at least have some decency for those who don’t wanna hear how good Min-Jun feels or how tight Seo-Yoon feels. Gross.</p><p> I glanced back down to my phone. It was just getting good. Jackson was beginning to realize his feelings and was about to confess!<br/>
 </p><p> "Shouldn’t you be sleeping?"  </p><p> My head snapped upwards, shuffling the blanket I covered myself with. Literally, no one’s there. These walls must really be paper thin or maybe it’s just the lack of sleep… Yeah, that’s probably just it...<br/>
 <br/>
Jackson grabbed Mark's arm, grasping it tightly between his fingers, not wanting to let go.  <br/>
"Mark... It's you... It's always been you," Jackson’s chest grew tight, anxiety lurking at the rejection he faced.  <br/>
He never told his best friend. He didn't think he would be accepted, especially with how people reacted to him the first time. The rejection wasn’t an easy thing to come back from and Jackson didn’t think he could survive heartbreak a second time.   <br/>
Tears softly trailed down his face while a hand cradled his cheek. He looked up seeing Mark's red-rimmed eyes, "You idiot! I've been- </p><p> The screen suddenly moved upwards, “Hey! I was reading-” </p><p> “Yeah, yeah. You should be asleep.” </p><p> In front of me stood a pale blond looking bored as he scrolled through my phone. He was wearing a military uniform that screamed ‘respect’ and an air of superiority most can’t accomplish. </p><p> "WH- mmph!" His hand shot out, planting over my face roughly, effectively shutting me up.  </p><p> "Don't. My ears are can't take any screaming right now," he drawled lazily. His hand was heavy, muffling all sound and breath from my body.<br/>
 <br/>
 “Seriously, this is what you stay up late for? BL fanfiction?” he says.<br/>
 <br/>
 What the heck! How did he get inside? Actually... scratch that. It wouldn’t surprise me if he could get through that flimsy door… Did he insult my Markson ship???<br/>
 <br/>
 "Yoongi, I don't think that's going to put her to sleep." </p><p> Yoongi. That was too pretty of a name for a criminal. Heck, he wasn’t even dressed like a criminal, like what kind of stupid would you have to be to not cover your face. Wait... who's that man behind him?! </p><p> "Kook, this one is a delinquent client. She's been messing up our ratings for the past year and I'm not letting it slide anymore."</p><p> "I know, but I don't think this is the right... tactic. She doesn't look like she's going to sleep anytime soon with the way you're smothering her with your hand."</p><p> The man named Yoongi looked at me as I glared at him back. He was really getting on my nerves. He was also aggravatingly strong. I couldn’t even pull his arms off of my face.<br/>
  <br/>
 He sighed, "What do you suggest we do then?"<br/>
 <br/>
 The guy named Kook brightened, his cheeks puffing up excitedly as he pulled a small booklet from his coat.  "Well according to article 23, she gets to decide if she sleeps or not. We can’t really force her to do it…” Kook’s brow scrunched as he swiped his deep purple hair.</p><p> “We’re allowed to use dust on her but there’s really nothing in the protocol about cases like hers though.”<br/>
 <br/>
 Yoongi’s face was blank for a moment as I continued to struggle against his hold. Like, goddamn, this man’s hand is heavy. <br/>
 <br/>
 “Try section 25, sub-section 3. Exceptions can be made in cases of abnormal caffeine consumption leading to induced insomnia occurring over a period of more than 60 days.”<br/>
  <br/>
 The other man flipped his booklet and found the passage, “Oh you’re right.” </p><p> “Of course, I’m right. I’ve been at this job longer than you have.” </p><p> I continued to push at his arm, shoving at it with all my strength. His hand was cutting off my air circulation and I was starting to feel lightheaded. </p><p> They continued to bicker as my vision slowly darkened. It was not the time to pass out! </p><p> “Oh! She’s about to pass out…”</p><p> Their dark eyes were the last that I could recall. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Within My Sight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“THEY WHAT?!” Seri yelled as she slammed her hands on the table. The coffee mugs and plates filled with pastries shook from impact as I tried to pull her back down to her seat. </p><p>“Calm down! You’re gonna make a mess,” I mumbled, trying to hide my face from the curious onlookers in the cafe.   </p><p>“Making a mess?! Really?! Two men held you down against your will, in your apartment and you’re concerned about making a mess?! Did you even lock your door? I mean what am I saying, of course, you did… but are you sure you’re okay? You don’t have-”<br/>
 <br/>
“I’m fine! They didn’t take anything. There’s nothing to take anyways,” I grumbled as she squished my face. Seri’s soft brown eyes were filled with worry. She can be a mama bear sometimes, overprotective to a fault and that’s why I loved her. Although, the glint of mischief in her eyes right now was never a good sign. <br/>
 <br/>
“Seri, I don’t thi-” </p><p>“That’s it!” She yells as she slams the table once again, making me groan. “You can move in with us! Jung-Hyeok wouldn’t mind. In fact, he practically thinks of you as his little sister!” she exclaimed.<br/>
 <br/>
“Pleaaaase? I really want you to move in! It’ll be fun and Bomi would love to see her auntie other than when she’s dog-sitting.”</p><p>Urgh… Bomi was too cute to resist. She was a small white Pomeranian fluff ball that Seri received from her boyfriend after they moved in together. She always had you dog-sit the little cutie whenever she and Jung-Hyeok went out. </p><p>I sighed, “Seri, you know I don’t like depending on people. I won’t freeload off you and Jung-Hyeok. You guys do enough for me already.” </p><p>“Please?” Seri pouted, “You know I won’t be able to sleep knowing you could be assaulted at any time.”<br/>
 <br/>
I rolled my eyes, arms crossed. I didn’t want to take advantage of her. She did enough for me already. I mean, she pays for my phone bills and feeds me when she sees me. I can’t take anymore from her. </p><p>A quiet whine sounded across from me as I glanced at my friend.  </p><p>“No. Don’t you dare put that face in front of me!” She was doing her puppy-dog face and it was breaking me down. It just sounded too good to be real. She gripped my hands tighter as I scrunched my face in contemplation. </p><p>“No more leaky ceilings,” Seri said enticingly, “No flimsy locks, no stinky hallways, an elevator that actually works… Bomi…” </p><p>“I get to pay half of the monthly rent and grocery bills,” I tried to negotiate. </p><p>“Nuh-uh! A third of rent and no grocery bills,” she retorted, arms crossed.</p><p>“A third of monthly rent, half of the grocery bills, and free babysitting for Bomi whenever you want or no deal.”</p><p>Seri’s eyes sparkled, “Deal!” </p><p>Happiness bloomed inside my chest when I realized that I could let go of my job at the bar and still make enough to pay her rent and groceries. Seri really was too good for this world.  </p><p>“Excuse me, um… can I take your plates?” the waiter asks.</p><p>I turn towards him, cocking my head to the side as he looked vaguely familiar. </p><p>“Of course, thank you,” Seri answers as she tries to help him gather the dishes. She giggles slightly as I continue to stare at the man as he walks away. </p><p>“Oooh, Lisha’s got a crush!” Seri declares.</p><p>I try to shush her as I glance one last time at the familiar purple-haired man. Where have I seen him before? </p><p>My hand suddenly felt sticky… and wet, “Ugh! Gross, Seri. What the heck?”</p><p>“You seemed all caught up with Mr. Dreamy over there you forgot about me,” Seri says as she winks at me. </p><p>“No! I’m not-”</p><p>“Sure, sure. Whatever you say. It’s about time you found someone anyways. You’ve always been such a loner,” Seri says waving me off. </p><p>“Can we just go?” I ask, pouting at her. </p><p>“And miss out on Lisha drooling over her Mr. Dreamy? No way!” Seri laughs as I drag her out of the cafe. </p><p>“Miss!” someone calls out as both Seri and I turn to the voice. Behind us was the purple-haired man holding my bag in front of him. Never had I wanted to slap myself so hard for being stupid. </p><p>“Oh… thank you,” I say as I reached out for my bag. He grabs my hand and winks at me, slipping a note in my hand. He winks and leaves before I was even able to say a word. Seri squealed next to me, “OH MY GOSH! Did he really?” She opens my hand as I continued to stand there, stunned that he would be so bold. </p><p>“Huh, not what I was expecting when he slipped you a note,” Seri says as I look over her shoulder at the note in her hand. </p><p>
  <em>Please don’t drink too much coffee next time, it’s not good for your health.  </em><br/>
<em>- JK</em>
</p><p>“I guess your coffee addiction is getting a little out of hand, I mean if even he noticed it… It’s kind of creepy though.” Seri says.</p><p>I crumple the note, a little concerned that a stranger would observe me that closely. Then again, Seri may be right. I might be getting a little out of hand with my coffee consumption. </p><p>“Speaking of moving…” Seri says as she grabs my arm, “It’s time to go shopping!” </p><p><br/>
&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;</p><p>“And that’s the last of the boxes!” Seri says as she wipes her hands on her jeans, smiling brightly as she glances at me. Then with no warning, I feel her weight on my back which resulted in me face planting to the floor. </p><p>“Seri! You’re heavy,” I groaned, trying to wiggle myself away from her. <br/>
r<br/>
She slapped my arm, “How dare you make assumptions about my weight! I thought I taught you better than that!”<br/>
 <br/>
She wiggled her fingers and then proceeded to attack my sides. The endless giggles and shouts of surrender attracted Jeong-Hyuk to the room. He came in, looking amused as he watched both of us struggle with each other. <br/>
 <br/>
“Save me, please! Your wife is trying to kill me!” </p><p>“Sorry, Lisha” he shrugged. “I value my life and you know what they say ‘happy wife, happy life.”<br/>
 <br/>
Seri stopped her attack. Her cheeks turning into a rosy pink as she stuttered, “You guys are so…”<br/>
 <br/>
“Aww… your wife’s adorable! I may have to steal her!” I tease. Seri slapped me lightly and covered her cheeks. She was so cute when she was embarrassed. <br/>
 <br/>
Arf-arf! </p><p>A cute white fluff ball pounced at me and Seri. Its small tail wagging uncontrollably as it tried to squeeze itself between me and Seri.<br/>
 <br/>
“Bomi!” I patted the puppy on its head as she started to litter cute kisses on my hands. <br/>
 <br/>
“Bomi! Lisha is mommy’s best friend!” Seri whined as she pulled me closer to her chest. Bomi began to pull on her Seri’s sleeve to get her out of the way as Seri continued to pout.<br/>
 <br/>
Jung-Hyeok chuckled, pulling Seri from me and leaving Bomi to crawl on my lap.<br/>
 <br/>
“Bomi stole my best friend Hyeok-ie! She loves Lisha more than me!” Seri whined. </p><p>“You don’t have to worry, Seri. I’ll always love you,” he kissed her on the head as Seri turned into a tomato.</p><p>“Gaah! PDA-alert! PDA-alert!” I tried to cover Bomi’s eyes jokingly making them both chuckle. </p><p>Seri then frowns slightly as she stares at me while I played with Bomi. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay this weekend? You just moved in and everything. We can-” </p><p>“Don’t worry Seri, you and Jung-Hyeok deserve to go out this weekend. I mean you’ve had this scheduled for months. Besides, I’ve been looking forward to babysitting this little puffball,” I snuggled the little cutie, “right Bomi-ah?” </p><p><em>Arf!</em><br/>
 <br/>
“If you say so, Lisha,” Seri says as she looked at Jung-Hyeok. <br/>
 <br/>
“I’m gonna start on dinner, wanna help Hyeok-ie?”<br/>
 <br/>
“Sure, I’ll follow,” Jung-Hyeok nodded as his eyes followed her walking out of the room. It was sweet. The way he looked at her was filled with so much emotion, loving and gentle. He was like a blind man, standing in awe of her presence like she was the one who gave him sight. It was the kind of look most people yearned to have but could only dream of having. People like me, although, I wouldn't admit that. </p><p>“Psst…” I grabbed Jung-Hyeok’s arm. “Were you able to get it?” </p><p>Jung-Hyeok smiled, “Yeah. It’s gonna be great. I just hope I don’t mess it up.” </p><p>“You’re gonna be fine. Just make sure to make my best friend happy or you’re dead,” I smiled mischievously. </p><p>“I will. I promised her that as long as she’s within my sight, I will protect her no matter what.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Basically a filler scene involving Seri and Jung-hyeok since I fell in love with CLOY while writing this chapter. Anyways, who's the purple-haired Mr. Dreamy? Can anyone guess who he is? (&gt;_&lt;)</p><p>I love constructive criticism and welcome all comments! NO HATE PLEASE! There's enough of that in the world, especially with everything going on right now. Stay safe everyone!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rampage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alone in a new home... what's the worst that could happen?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a quiet night. The apartment was quiet and nothing moved other than the   bland late-night show on the television along with the peaceful breathing of the cute puffball in my lap. I felt dead as I lay on the sofa, patting Bomi’s newly cut head. Everything was peaceful but I couldn’t help the uneasy feeling lingering in my chest. </p>
<p>Seri and Jung-hyeok left this morning for their vacation, leaving me and Bomi to ourselves. I pampered the puppy as I took her to the dog-spa where her fur was fluffed to perfection. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she resembled an extremely puffy cloud and the small bow on her ear just made her more endearing. <br/>
 <br/>
The host on TV continued to drawl drearily as if trying to lull his audience to sleep. Why I was even watching this? Oh yeah… I was too lazy to change it and the sofa was way too comfortable. It was nearly 10 PM when I decided to go back to my room when my phone rang. </p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>"LISHA!!! I'm engaged!!!" Seri yelled.<br/>
 <br/>
I squealed, "Congrats Seri!!! I'm so happy for you!"<br/>
  <br/>
"He was so sneaky! I asked him to take a selca of us under the flowers when he gets down on one knee to propose! Oh my God, I almost died from shock. I didn't know he would do that!" </p>
<p>A small smile formed on my lips. I couldn’t help but be happy for her and proud of Jung-Hyeok. I gotta admit, I didn’t know he could be bold enough to do it but I guess love made people do even the craziest of things.<br/>
 <br/>
"Before I go, I have an important question for you.”<br/>
 <br/>
Weird. What could she possibly ask? </p>
<p>"Will you be my bridesmaid?" </p>
<p>"uh… you want me to be your bridesmaid? Really?" </p>
<p>She giggled, "Of course, silly! You're like a sister to me. We've been together since high school and I couldn't ask for a better friend!" </p>
<p>I smiled, "I'd be honored to be your bridesmaid... thanks Seri-ah, I love you!" </p>
<p>"I gotta go now, Hyukie's waiting for me. You and Bomi take care...and make sure the door’s locked!" </p>
<p>“I will! Now go before your future hubby kills me for stealing you away.” </p>
<p>I hung up and plopped down on my new bed. The foam was soft, the sheets freshly laundered, and it was big enough that my feet didn’t even dangle from the end. It felt so good to lay on and didn't creak. I closed my eyes, snuggling into the lavender-scented pillow. It probably wouldn’t take me long to fall asleep. </p>
<p>
  <em>Tick-tock-tick-tock...Ba-bump… ba-bump… ba-bump... </em>
</p>
<p>Frustrated, I shot up and grabbed my phone. 2:39. The past two hours consisted of nothing but tossing and turning. The sheets were too soft, the lavender scent was too strong, and for some reason… it was too quiet. The ticking of the clock was loud. The thundering muscle in my chest beating too fast that my breath could not even catch up with the marathon it was running. Overwhelmed was an understatement. I was panicking and the shadows around the corners were growing larger. Whispers filled the room. They were talking in tongues I couldn’t begin to comprehend. </p>
<p>Shaking, my hand reached out for the lamp on the bedside table. The shadows subsided, the whispers slowed but my heart continued to run. </p>
<p>
  <em>In… out… in… out… in…out…</em>
</p>
<p>"She should be sleeping," a deep voice whispered. </p>
<p>My breath hitches, eyes wildly flying over the room, which was as empty as my bank account. Did the shadows begin to talk? Am I able to understand them now? No…The shadows stopped moving when I turned on the light. I looked under my bed finding…nothing. </p>
<p>A relieved sigh comes out of my mouth, the beating in my chest slowing down as the crusty feeling in my mouth reminds me my need for water. I grabbed the bottle of sweet relief on the bedside table and took a gulp, relieving both my thirst and anxiety. </p>
<p>Turning around once more, I slipped from my bed and into the kitchen thinking that maybe a cup of tea would make me less restless. I passed by Bomi, sleeping soundly on her dog bed in the living room as I turned towards the fluorescent-lit kitchen. </p>
<p>My mind wandered for a moment as I stared at the dark corners of the living room. The shadows were still. No movement or sound came from them. Maybe I really am going nuts. It wasn’t normal to expect them to be… alive.</p>
<p>I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and placed a tea bag in it. The smell of chamomile from the dry tea leaves was relaxing but my shoulder continued to be tense as the feeling of being watched was still there. I really should go to a doctor to see about this insomnia but I didn’t have the money to spend on that right now. Not with everything going on. </p>
<p>The water boiled and I poured it into the mug, now waiting for the brew to steep. The heat felt calming in my hands as I hugged near my chest and walked towards the sofa. Feeling the soft cushions, I looked towards the peaceful looking Bomi. She looked really comfortable. Great, I was now feeling jealous of a dog. </p>
<p>Reaching for the remote on the coffee table, I turned on the TV, hoping to find something to distract me and bore me to death… I mean, to sleep. Flipping through the channels, I found a young newscaster talking about the recent mysterious deaths going around in the area. Wow, 14 people dead all from unknown circumstances. That’s concerning. </p>
<p>My brow frowned as I watched the newscaster continue to drawl on about the reports and how the police recommended vigilance for every citizen. They believed it to be a serial killer on the loose. </p>
<p>"Kook, sprinkle the dust lightly,” someone said. </p>
<p>I startled and turned around only to face the blond who suffocated me to sleep 2 nights ago. His brow furrowed in frustration as my eyes met his glare.  <br/>
"How did you get in here?!” I shouted, crashing the mug on the coffee table. <br/>
I scrambled for the kitchen where I left my phone, knowing I needed to call 911.</p>
<p>Shit! My foot! What a glamorous way to die… tripping over my best friend’s dog while running away from my killers. </p>
<p>“Are you alright?!” the dark purple-haired man asked. Wait. He was the waiter from the cafe! Are they stalkers? Why is he here?<br/>
 <br/>
“Stay away!” I shouted, scrambling up as I glared at him. <br/>
   <br/>
"Please don't shout, miss. We're not here to hurt you," the waiter-stalker said. He put his hands up, looking quite innocent. His hair disheveled as his eyes widened in surprise.</p>
<p>I ran to the kitchen and grabbed the first thing I could find. It was a frying pan. Good. This was a good weapon. I mean, Tangled pretty much demonstrated its usefulness, right? </p>
<p>“How did you get in here? How did you even find me? Are you following me?” I asked.<br/>
  <br/>
The two men in front of me stood still, the purple-haired one stood with his hands up while the blond had his arms crossed with an exasperated face. They were wearing the same silly costumes I saw on them the first time. The purple-haired one straightened his jacket, his broad shoulders stretching the stiff material. I knew he was cute when I saw him in the cafe but he was really built. He had toned legs and a sharp jawline many guys could only dream of. The other man, the blond, looked back at me with a blank expression. He was smaller than his partner but he carried himself with dominance. Those black eyes seemed to pierce you frozen but there was something sad about them. </p>
<p>Wait, what the heck am I thinking about? These are stalkers you’re looking at! </p>
<p>“Talk,” I said, raising the frying pan higher trying to look as intimidating as possible in my ragged pajamas. </p>
<p>Mr. Purple scratched the back of his neck, looking uneasy as he glanced at his partner.  </p>
<p>“Well… um-”<br/>
 <br/>
“Yah, you don’t have to explain anything. We just have to put her to sleep.” </p>
<p>My eyes widened, “Put me to what now?!” </p>
<p>"Put you to sleep. It's our job to make sure you sleep," Mr. Purple explained. He walked closer to you as he tried to reach something in his pocket.  </p>
<p>"Don’t take another step. I am not afraid to pummel you,” I said as I pointed the pan to his face. </p>
<p>He put his hands up in defense, looking scared like a bunny. </p>
<p>"Hurry up, Kook. We have to report back soon," the blond says as he tapped his foot impatiently while leaning on the kitchen island. </p>
<p>"Uhm… Yoongi?" </p>
<p>"What?" </p>
<p>"I forgot my dust pouch…" </p>
<p>Yoongi smacked his face, irritation evident as he ruffled his coat. He took out a brown leather pouch, opening it to reveal some sort of white powder that dusted his hands. </p>
<p>“Yah! Don’t you dare come close with whatever drugs you have-” </p>
<p>He blew on his hand as gold sparkles dusted towards my face.  </p>
<p>“What the hell!”  </p>
<p>The clang of the frying pan was a distant memory as a fit of coughs racked its way through my lungs. The powder stung, making its way through my nose, eyes, and mouth. It tasted sickeningly sweet, like heavy cough syrup with a touch of dirt. It had a heady scent that made me dizzy as I lowered to the floor, trying to rub away whatever they blew at me. </p>
<p>The deeper I tried to gasp for breath, the heavier I felt. My eyes drooped. This was how I died. Being drugged by crazy lunatics in my best friend’s apartment. What a way to go.  </p>
<p>“Let’s get her to her bed.” </p>
<p>“D-on’t...” mumbling the warped words in my mouth. </p>
<p>“It’d be so much easier for all of us if you just fell asleep like normal people do.” </p>
<p>Never in my life had I wanted to strangle another person so badly until these guys. They can’t just barge in here without a fight. </p>
<p>
  <em>Get up, get up, get up. </em>
</p>
<p>My legs wobbled as I got my feet under me. Now to the kitchen sink without stumbling too badly. My hands found the faucet and I shoved my face under the spray of cold water. A jolt went through my body, the water scrubbing the heady feeling away. Gasping for air, I blinked the cloudy haze away. </p>
<p>These burglars better be prepared to die by my hands because I was about to go on a rampage.  </p>
<p>“Uh, Yoongi?” Mr. Purple said, panicked.<br/>
  <br/>
“She’s not supposed to-” </p>
<p>“Supposed to what?” I asked, making both men look at me with wide eyes.  </p>
<p>“Shit.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm rewriting a lot of the future chapters for this story and I'm so excited about the adventure coming soon! I hope you liked this chapter! &lt;(^_^)&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Frying Pan Attack!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The metal handle of the frying pan was steady in my grasp as I glared at the two frozen men in front of me. From the looks on their faces, they never thought I would fight back. Mr. Purple was currently holding his hands up, eyes wide as a doe as he looked towards his partner. The blond was just as shocked judging from the way he froze and stared at me. </p>
<p>“What? Did you really think I would let you two barge in here without a fight?” I barked. I couldn’t help but feel enraged, muscles tensing and shaking from the rush of aggression building inside. </p>
<p>“Uh…miss. There’s been a huge misunderstanding-”</p>
<p>“Misunderstanding my ass! WHAT KIND OF ASSHOLES BREAK IN ON A GIRL NOT ONCE BUT TWICE?!” I yelled and motion blinded my vision. The metal in my grasp swinging down as I marched over to one of the frozen men. </p>
<p>“Wait! Please!” </p>
<p>SMACK!</p>
<p>The purple-haired man yelped in pain as I hit him on the back of his head as he was about to run away. His partner had his hands up in defense, tensed for any further attack I would make. I turned towards him, frying pan in hand and began to swing hard but before it could hit anything, he swung his hand towards my shoulder and pressed on it.  A sharp pain made its way from my socket to the side of my neck and numbed as I let go of the pan, backing away from him. My arm was numb and limp as he continued to step towards me and held my wrists together, binding them with his one hand. I struggled within his hold as he turned me around, placing me in a close embrace that locked my arms and upper half together. </p>
<p>“I should just suffocate you again to make you go to sleep,” the blond muttered. </p>
<p>I bit his arm, making him pull it back in surprise, “Try it and I’ll hurt you with more than just a bite.”</p>
<p>The purple-haired man groaned as he looked back to me and his partner, “Please miss. We aren’t here to hurt you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ve heard that before,” I said, swinging my legs to kick the man still holding me to his chest. </p>
<p>“If you’d just listen, we wouldn’t have to do-” his eyes widened as dark tendril wrapped around his arms and legs, “-what the?”</p>
<p>The tendrils weaved around his limbs, tightening as they pulled him from me. The shadows became larger until his legs and arms were struggling in their hold.</p>
<p>“Yoongi!” the purple-haired man shouted as he himself was being consumed by the shadows. His eyes were panicked as he tried to swing his arms away from the bindings. </p>
<p>The shadows were also all over my arms but they didn’t tug at me as they did with the two men. In fact, they felt comforting as they caressed my arms. It was kind of odd, they vibrated slightly, almost like a cat purring when being pet. </p>
<p>The whispers became louder and I could hear them clearly. They said disturbing things as images appeared in my head. </p>
<p>
  <em>Do you want to kill? Kill them?</em>
</p>
<p>“Stop your shadows!” Mr. Purple said, barely getting the words out as the tendril on his neck tightened. </p>
<p>“They’re not mine! I don’t…” I said, panicking slightly. The shadows have always just been there, lingering in the dark corners. Now they talk, whispering in familiar voices. Voices that I remember from long ago.</p>
<p>
  <em>Don’t kill? You don’t want to kill?</em>
</p>
<p>“I d-don’t want to kill anybody,” I murmured. </p>
<p>The tendrils stilled for a moment and loosened on the two men in front of me. They combined into one and slithered towards me like snakes. As soon as the shadow reached me, they paused, wavering in front of me, as if they were waiting for something… someone.</p>
<p>The blond was collapsed on the ground with his partner holding him up. He cradled his neck, a red mark wrapped around the delicate porcelain skin as he panted. “Tell them to go back to sleep,” he grunted as he placed his arm around his partner who helped him stand.</p>
<p>“What?” I asked. My eyes widened as I glanced back at the shadows waiting in front of me and back to the intruders.</p>
<p>“Tell them to go back to sleep. They won’t go away until you tell them to,” the blond mutters. </p>
<p>“H-how?” I flinched at how stupid I sounded. </p>
<p>“Just tell them to sleep,” the purple-haired man declares as he gestures towards the tendrils, “they’ll follow.”</p>
<p>“Um, go to sleep?” I squeaked. The shadows paused their motion as if they were looking and paying attention. I cleared my throat, uneasy, “You can go to sleep.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Sleep? You want us to sleep?</em>
</p>
<p>“Yes. I want you to sleep.” </p>
<p>
  <em>Okay</em>
</p>
<p>The shadows dispersed, going back to the dark corners of the apartment and stilling until everything seemed as it was. Like nothing ever happened… except for the two men in front of me who looked at me with apprehension.</p>
<p>“There was nothing in her file about this,” the blond grunts as he leans on his purple-haired partner. He looked worse for wear. His face was pale and sweat covered his brow as he breathed in measured counts. </p>
<p>“You’ll be okay, Yoongi?” the purple-haired man says. </p>
<p>“I will be. Thanks, Kook,” Yoongi answers. They simultaneously turn their eyes towards me as I shuffled uncomfortably in the shadows. </p>
<p>Deep laughter came from behind me as something gripped my arms, “What a pleasant discovery. I’m so glad I didn’t kill you first, my dear. You’ll be a wonderful addition to my collection.”</p>
<p>The grip tightened as I flung my legs at the solid body behind me. Did they have another partner along with them when they broke in? How could I be so stupid to let my guard down?</p>
<p>Tendrils of shadows began to flare beneath me but the man holding me captive tightened his grasp on my neck. His fingers pushed at the base of my throat, choking me enough to cut off my breath. </p>
<p>“Call off your shadows, Skugga, or I break your neck,” he whispered. </p>
<p>“Let go of her,” the purple-haired man-Kook- says as he holds a long black baton in his hand. His partner, Yoongi, looked just as menacing as he held a fighting stance beside him. It seems this man wasn’t part of their team. </p>
<p>“Thanks to you two I’ve gained a new addition to my collection,” the man behind me says, “And nothing can stop me from getting what I want.”</p>
<p>His hand reaches out and a dark shadow shoots out towards Kook. He ducks and rolls away, avoiding the other shadows quickly striking at him. The once black baton now shone in his hand with a yellow light that made the shadows disappear before they hit but they just kept reappearing. The blond, Yoongi, began to make his way towards us, the shadows dispersing before they struck his face. There was a small light in his hands keeping the shadows at bay while he approached us but just like Kook, he had to keep moving quickly as the shadows kept multiplying.  </p>
<p>
  <em>Help?</em>
</p>
<p>The familiar whispers in my ear made me look sideways at the shadows in the corner slithering towards me. The tendrils crawled on my legs and up my torso, escaping the man’s notice. He was distracted by the two fights happening in front of us and didn’t realize as a shadow gripped the hand on my neck. He let go as if the shadow burned him but before I could retaliate he pulled my hair up and dragged me by my toes. </p>
<p>“You think your shadows can overpower me, Skugga?” he snarls, eyes red as his grip tightens. “Nothing can control me, not even you.” </p>
<p>He pulled my head up and slammed it down as I found brow hitting his sharp knee. My knees gave way and yet his hand kept its steel grip on me. </p>
<p>The impact was brutal. My brain felt like mush, my vision was double, and the floor was closer than I wanted it to be. He continued his assault. His arm guiding my head to his knee easily like I was nothing but a rag-doll without bones. A trickle of liquid fell on my face, my forehead pulsing from the beating it took.  </p>
<p>He stopped and pulled me towards his face by my hair, “As much as I’d like to kill you right now, you’re too interesting not to play with first.”</p>
<p>I forced myself to peel my eyes open only to be confronted by the truth of my attacker. He was nothing but a shadow, a shadow shaped into a man. It had no features, no eyes, no mouth, and yet I could feel him smirking. Smirking as if he was happy staring at me dangling at his mercy. </p>
<p>The man suddenly shrieked as a light shone on him. His grip loosened on my head, letting me collapse to the floor. I could hear footsteps from behind me as I watched the shadow man disintegrate. </p>
<p>“This isn’t the end! I will have her, she is mine to collect!” the shadow man shouted as dark boots came into my vision.  Someone stood in front of me while I felt another pair of arms pick me up from the floor. A soft voice called out for me to stay awake but I couldn’t help but disobey. The darkness was tempting. The pain too much as my head pulsed from the bashing it took. I couldn’t help but surrender myself to sleep. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Constructive criticism would be much appreciated. I wrote this story after having writer's block for 2 years! 2 YEARS! Can you believe it? I still wrote small bits and pieces here and there but had almost no motivation to write a full story with an actual plot. Honestly, I find BTS as an inspiration for characters. They're just too awesome not to write about. &gt;_&lt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Sleepers and Coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lisha woke up and coffee always makes everything better.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What the hell did the two of you think you were doing?”</p>
<p>“We were doing our job but something happened…” </p>
<p>“Are you stupid? What would HQ say? Actually, never mind HQ, what would Namjoon say? You’re lucky he isn’t here right now.”</p>
<p>“Psh, I can take Namjoon.”</p>
<p>“Really? Then what about Taehyung and Hoseok? Can you take on all three of them?” </p>
<p>“Jin, calm down, I think they did the right thing bringing her here.”</p>
<p>The voices kept bickering in the background as I felt myself wake up. There was a pounding sensation wrapping around my head, like a burning growing stronger the more awake I became. Squinting my eyes open, I found myself staring at a bright white ceiling. The lights were blinding and the headache I had grew more powerful. </p>
<p>I couldn’t help but groan. </p>
<p>“Hey, take it easy,” a soft voice said as I felt hands helping me up. </p>
<p>“You took a real beating back there, I’m surprised you’re awake.”</p>
<p>“Beating?” I mumbled. I don’t remember… “Oh! Where is he? The shadow man?!” </p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it for now,” the soft voice said. It belonged to a beautiful man with dark blond hair. His eyes were blue and his lips were quite pink that I couldn’t believe they were real. His skin was unblemished and his lashes were long making me wonder if he really was a man. All that was missing was a halo and I would be looking at an angel. An angel that looked quite concerned. </p>
<p>“Are you okay? Is your head still hurting? I could grab some Tylenol for it,” he said, scrambling towards a metal cabinet behind him.  </p>
<p>“Who are you?” I asked uneasily as the beautiful stranger continued to look inside the cabinet.</p>
<p>“Oh, my name’s Jimin. I would say nice to meet you but under the circumstances, I don’t really think it’s appropriate.” He held his hand out which contained the familiar blue and red pills as well as a bottle of water. The small smile on his face made me freeze for a moment. Should I really trust this stranger so easily?</p>
<p>“Yah, Jimin! Why didn’t you call and tell us she was awake?” someone called out from the doorway. Familiar purple locks caught my eye as I found Kook standing there with bandages across his face. He looked bruised and battered. Yellow, red, and brown marred his otherwise handsome face. </p>
<p>“You!” I shouted, pointing at him aggressively and making Jimin stumble with the pills and bottle. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry!” I said as I tried to grab his hands before everything fell to the floor. </p>
<p>Too late. </p>
<p>The opened bottle spilled along with the pills as Jimin huffed and glared at Kook, “Really? You had to pop in like that?”</p>
<p>The purple-haired man shrugged. He looked unbothered until someone hit him on the back of his head. </p>
<p>“Jin,” he whined. </p>
<p>“Don’t Jin me! Go get some towels and wipe the mess you made,” he scolded the purple-haired man who now looked like a kicked puppy as he bit his lip and made his way towards another cabinet in the room. </p>
<p>I looked towards Jin curiously as he continued to scold the other man. He looked like an angry mother scolding her child when they did something wrong. Kook, in turn, continued to mope as he wiped the towel on the floor and picked up the half-empty bottle that slipped from Jimin’s fingers. </p>
<p>“Aish… And you,” Jin looked towards Jimin as he walked closer, “You were supposed to call us when she woke up.”</p>
<p>“Sorry, Jin. She was in pain and I was giving her some Tylenol,” Jimin answered as he brushed his hair back from his forehead. </p>
<p>“What am I going to do with the two of you… Oh, are you doing alright, miss?” Jin said.</p>
<p>I couldn’t help but bite my lip as the new man put his face closer to mine. He seemed to be checking the bandage on my forehead with the way he was pressing on it. </p>
<p>“Ouch,” I cried as he touched a sore spot. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he murmured as he looked towards Jimin who scurried towards the cabinet once again, “It seems like I’m going to have to re-bandage this.” </p>
<p>“Okay,” I answered, flinching slightly as I didn’t want to aggravate the pain.</p>
<p>Jin took a pair of scissors from the tray that Jimin brought and cut through the bandage. Its cool metal slid against my skin as the pressure on my head eased from the confines of the wrapping. It seemed the pulsing was caused by the binding the wrapping had because once my head was free, I felt better. </p>
<p>“I’m going to wrap another bandage around your head but tell me if it’s too tight, alright?” Jin says as he begins to roll the gauze around my head. His hands were deft and gentle, making me wonder how often he bandaged someone. </p>
<p>“Better?” Jin asks when he finished.</p>
<p>“Much, thank you.” I smiled up at him as he stood up and took the tray Jimin gave him. </p>
<p>“Um,” Kook mumbled as he stood near the end of the bed. He was fidgeting slightly making me wonder what he wanted. </p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, miss.” He shouted as he bowed down to a perfect 90 degrees. “It was my fault.”</p>
<p>His fault? </p>
<p>“I didn’t do my job properly. I fail as a Sandman. I should have made sure that you were asleep the first time.” </p>
<p>I shuffled from the bed, making my way to the purple-haired man, “Uh, please don’t do that. It’s okay.”</p>
<p>“No, I should have-”</p>
<p>“Please don’t! I-I… just stop bowing okay? It’s not your fault, okay?” </p>
<p>“Thank you, miss.” He answers as he stands up straight. He really was cute. His big brown eyes looked so innocent and gave him a boyish charm. </p>
<p>“Anyway, it’s not your responsibility to make sure I sleep, it’s mine. Why were you in the apartment anyway? Why are you stalking me?” I asked. He seemed to innocent to be doing criminal activities, even if they were strange. I mean, what kind of delinquent breaks in on someone twice?</p>
<p>I looked over at him as he bit his lip. He looked over at Jin and Jimin who just watched the both of us with amusement. </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Jin placed his hand over Kook’s shoulder and looked towards me, “I think it’s better if we talk about this over a cup of coffee, don’t you?”</p>
<p>My back straightened at the mention of coffee. I didn’t realize I was craving for the bitter-sweet taste of caffeine until he mentioned it. I nodded in agreement and followed the three men towards the door they came through. </p>
<p>The hallway was dim with lamps scattered every few meters giving it an eerie feeling. In my head, I was wondering why they couldn't have just used the same fluorescent lighting as the white room I left. It certainly seemed more modern there but the decorations in the hallway were definitely unique. Paintings lined every few feet and alternated with large sculptures that I couldn’t discern. Each one was white, like marble and stood more than 7 feet tall. It had a face that resembled a mask. Large eyes that seemed to resemble… an owl. Each sculpture had metal claws holding them to the floor, each one seemingly sharp and ominous. The paintings were a contrast to the intimidating sculptures as they depicted galaxies and quiet sceneries. </p>
<p>The place gave off the vibe of a haunted gallery but it was so beautiful that I couldn't help but pause a few moments when something captured my eye. I stared at one of the sculptures closely, finding myself awed at the detail each wing seemed to have. </p>
<p>“I wouldn’t touch that,” Jimin whispered behind me. I jumped at how quiet his voice was and how he grabbed my hand before it even touched the sculpture. </p>
<p>“It’ll eat you,” he says. </p>
<p>A shiver goes down my spine at the way his breath tickled my ear. His voice was husky, unlike how he spoke in the white room. </p>
<p>“Ya! Don’t tell her lies,” Jin says as he smacks Jimin on the head. </p>
<p>“Ouch!”</p>
<p>“Hmph, you deserve it,” Jin says smugly as he turns to me, “But I wouldn’t touch the sleepers either, miss. They’re guardians of this place.”</p>
<p>“Sleepers?” I ask. </p>
<p>Jin nods as he shoos Jimin ahead with Kook. </p>
<p>“That’s what they’re called. They’re like guard dogs in case an intruder comes along and tries to break into this place,” Jin says as he walks beside me. </p>
<p>“Oh. So, are they robots?” I ask, tilting my head towards one. </p>
<p>“Sort of,” Jin smiles as he leads me towards an arched doorway. Inside was an open space that contained a kitchen to one side and sofas scattered around a television on the other. He guides me to take a seat on one of the stools in the kitchen counter as he makes his way in the kitchen. Jimin and Kook already sat in the sofas on the other side of the room. They were holding consoles in their hands and seemed to be trash-talking each other by the looks of their squabble. </p>
<p>“Children,” Jin mutters as he reaches for mugs inside a cupboard. He turns and opens another cabinet but frowns as he doesn’t find what he’s looking for. He turns towards you and holds up a familiar instant coffee jar.</p>
<p>“You alright with instant? It looks like we ran out of the grounds,” he asks. </p>
<p>“Yes, any coffee is good, thank you,” I answer. </p>
<p>“So polite,” he says and chuckles as he turns on the electric kettle.</p>
<p>My cheeks couldn’t help but heat up at his comment. Was there something wrong with being polite?</p>
<p>He looks in the refrigerator and claps his hands in delight, “Oh! Perfect!” He takes out a plate of cake in his hands and brings it towards the counter. It was a cheesecake filled to the brim with strawberries on top. The sight of it made my stomach grumble and I couldn’t help but cover my cheeks with the way they heated up. </p>
<p>“You’re so cute!” Jin declares as he taps my nose lightly. “Let’s get you a slice while we wait for the water to boil.”</p>
<p>He gives me a piece which I gratefully take. The taste of sweet and tart explodes in my mouth making me sigh. The cake was perfect. Smooth and creamy with a tinge of saltiness that countered the taste of fresh strawberries. Delicious. </p>
<p>Jin cut a piece for himself and began to eat along with me. Between both of us, the cheesecake slices we had decimated in seconds.</p>
<p>The kettle began to whistle and Jin poured the hot water into the mugs. The aroma wasn’t too rich and yet the sight of the bitter brew made me happy. Coffee always brought a smile to face as I always associated it with a good day. Even when I was cramming for exams and chugging it, coffee always made me feel better. </p>
<p>He grabbed the milk from the fridge and sugar from the cupboard, placing them in front of me along with the mugs he put there earlier. Taking a spoon, I grabbed two spoonfuls of sugar and splashed milk into my mug until it was a light caramel color. I liked my coffee extremely sweet and creamy. I couldn’t stand it black. It was too bitter for my sweet tooth. </p>
<p>Jin chuckles as he watches me brew my cup, “Not much of a purist, huh?” </p>
<p>“What?” I asked, sipping my mug with a sigh.</p>
<p>“Most coffee enthusiasts don’t like putting sugar and milk in their coffee because they say it ruins the taste,” Jin says as he sips his own mug. </p>
<p>“I guess? I mean, I know what I like and I’m not much for bitter things unless it’s covered in cream and sugar.” I say, shrugging. “Besides, you’re not much of a purist either.”</p>
<p>I motion towards his cup which makes him grin, “That’s true.” </p>
<p>We sit on the kitchen counter in silence sipping our coffee and eating cheesecake. The sound of munching and cutlery was comforting and a sign of normalcy in the weird situation I found myself in.</p>
<p>I was sitting in a kitchen, eating cheesecake and drinking coffee with one of my kidnappers while two other kidnappers played Overwatch across from me. If that wasn’t weird, I didn’t know what was. It was a wonder that I wasn’t freaking out already. Okay, maybe I was panicking on the inside, slightly panicking… Maybe not. The coffee made me relaxed. </p>
<p>As I continued to ponder my thoughts, someone ran in from the doorway and started yelling. </p>
<p>“NOT THE CHEESECAKE!!!”</p>
<p>I turned towards the hysteric man and glanced at Jin who was also staring wide-eyed at the yelling man. </p>
<p>“What? Why?” Jin asks, trying to remain nonchalant. Kook and Jimin paused their game and also started to look panic-stricken as they saw us eating the cheesecake.</p>
<p>“JIN!”</p>
<p>“CHEESECAKE!”</p>
<p>“WHAT? WHAT?” Jin started to yell as well, panic clearly becoming clearer on his face. </p>
<p>“Jin, you’re gonna die. Oh my god, I’m talking to a dead man.” The hysteric man continued to walk back and forth as Kook and Jimin groaned.</p>
<p>And once again, I was in trouble. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And once again, I find myself trying to figure out where the heck this story is really going. I think I rewrote this chapter 10 times before this came out. The realization of how difficult writing a story once again made itself known. But I know that I'll at least update this story at least once a week, maybe more if I can help myself. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the mess that happens next!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Cheesecake is serious business, okay?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We meet our doom... by cheesecake!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flabbergasted… no that wasn’t right… Dumbfounded, maybe? No, that didn’t sound right either. What’s the best word to describe the cluster-fuck I’ve been dropped into?</p>
<p>I mean, one moment ago, I was in my new room, laying on a comfortable bed and wondering about the next exam then the next moment I’m assaulted by a psycho-shadow-man and drinking coffee while I watch 4 men panic about a cheesecake. </p>
<p>A. DAMN. CHEESECAKE.</p>
<p>What the hell was wrong with these damn men-ahem, excuse me- children?</p>
<p>"Oh my God! Is this the cheesecake? The one-" <br/>  <br/>"Taehyung bought for himself to celebrate with? Yes, it is, idiot!" Jimin said frantically as he went into the kitchen to look at the almost empty platter.  <br/>  <br/>"Don't call me an idiot! I'm older than you!" Jin yells back. <br/>  <br/>"Yeah, it seems like old age is catching up with your memory too," Kook says in a drawl as he rolls his eyes. </p>
<p>"Ya!" Jin yelled as his ears turned red along with his neck. He was beyond irritated at this point but at the same time the panic in his eyes was worrisome. Just who is this Taehyung they keep talking about? He sounded like a really intimidating person if cheesecake was enough to scare these four.  <br/>  <br/>"Now, now...” the brunet man says as he waves his hands to calm everyone. The worried expression on his face seemed to contradict his actions as he tried to control the situation, “It’s no use arguing about what’s already happened. Let's think about this rationally. What can we do?" </p>
<p>Silence overwhelmed the room as the cogs in their heads slowly turned for a solution. Kook raised his hand up slowly, similar to a student, unsure and unwilling to answer but forced given the situation. </p>
<p>"We could buy another one?" Kook says, his voice slightly pitched with uncertainty.</p>
<p>“That’s a great idea!” Jimin agrees. </p>
<p>“It would be but nothing's open at 3 in the morning, idiot," Jin drawls. </p>
<p>Kook mumbled as he curled back on himself. He was pouting like a child but I couldn’t help but sympathize. I would be aggravated too if I was called an idiot.</p>
<p>"We could hide it?" Jimin pipes up.  <br/>  <br/>"How would that even work?" Jin shoots the idea down as Jimin glares at him.</p>
<p>“Gee, I don’t know… If someone hadn’t touched it in the first place, maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Jimin retorts. </p>
<p>The two bicker with each other and soon it heats up into an argument. The brunet who entered comes between them and calms them down as he makes Jimin sit on a sofa at the opposite side of the room. Jin on the other hand is banished to sit on a kitchen stool. </p>
<p>I start feeling bad. After all, Jin wasn’t the only one who ate the forbidden cheesecake, "Um-" <br/>  <br/>"What do we do?" Kook asks, interrupting me before I even got to say a word. <br/>  <br/>"We're gonna die, oh my God I'm too handsome to die!" Jin cries. <br/>  <br/>"Shut up Jin! You’re the one who ate it so you’re the only one dying,” Jimin yells from across the room.  <br/>  <br/>"Excuse me-" <br/>  <br/>"Waah!" Jin wails. </p>
<p>“GUYS!” the brunet shouts out, catching all their attention, “There’s a girl in the room?” he points to me, tilting his head as his heart-shaped lips went into a straight line. </p>
<p>“Oh, That’s Lisha,” Kook says as he nods towards me, “Lisha this is Hoseok.”</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you, Lisha…” Hoseok approaches me while holding out his hand. </p>
<p>I placed my hand in his, a little uneasy but soon shook it off as he began to move our hands up and down. He was smiling but it didn’t comfort me at all. The action too mechanical and automatic to be normal. Under the circumstances, it was reasonable. It wasn’t really a nice time to meet a stranger. </p>
<p>“Lisha… That name sounds familiar,” Hoseok murmurs turning to Kook, “One of your clients was named Lisha, right?” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Kook murmurs, fiddling with his fingers and biting his lip. </p>
<p>“Her name’s Lisha,” Hoseok states. Then it clicks. A moment of recognition as his mouth and eyes widen. </p>
<p>“YOU BROUGHT HOME A CLIENT!!!” </p>
<p>Kook rolls his eyes as Jin waves his hand, “That’s not the issue right now! We’re talking about our imminent death here.” </p>
<p>“But-”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Jin puts his hand over Hoseok’s mouth, “We can discuss this later after we’ve solved the problem.”</p>
<p>Hoseok glares at the older man and moves the offending hand away from his mouth. “Fine, but after this, you all owe me an explanation.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah,” Jin waves his hand nonchalantly. I guess this is the best time to bring it up. </p>
<p>“Um… So… I-uh worked at a bakery before,” I stutter. Geez, the presence of the four men in the room was just overwhelming. It wasn’t the fact that they were attractive that made it hard to speak. Not at all.  I cleared my throat, trying to control my cheeks from heating up but I know it was probably already red from the way they stung. </p>
<p>“I know how to make this cheesecake,” I say. </p>
<p>Jin stands up and pulls me into a hug. “OH MY GOD! MY SAVIOR! PLEASE!”   </p>
<p>The fabric of his shirt scrunched to my face as I try to push myself away. He smelled nice. Like the forest leaves on a spring day. The scent reminded me of freshly mowed grass, cucumbers, and a heady scent of coconut. Fresh, yet mature. <br/>  <br/>"Oh my God, you're a lifesaver you saved my handsome face from doom!" <br/>  <br/>I grunted as he pulled me in tighter to his hard chest. Could it get even worse?</p>
<p>“Jin! Stop squishing her,” Kook says as I feel another pair of arms circle my waist and pulling me away from the man’s embrace. It was a little difficult, especially with how broad Jin’s shoulders were but somehow, Kook managed to do get me away.  <br/>  <br/>"What? I just wanted to thank her!" Jin says, arms crossing dejectedly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, by squeezing her to death. Let the girl breathe,” Kook says as he turns to me. </p>
<p>“You okay?” he asks. </p>
<p>I nod, biting my lip as I realize that he was still holding my waist. His face was also quite close, considering I could spot a light scar on his left cheek as well as the mole on the upper left of his nose. I’ve never been this up close to a boy before…</p>
<p>“So, you’ll help us make the cheesecake?” Jimin says, smacking Kook’s face sideways as he places his hands on my shoulders. </p>
<p>Kook frowned as he looked up at us from the floor. I looked at him with concern, noting how loudly he fell to the ground but he must be doing alright if he was glaring at Jimin that hard. </p>
<p>“Lisha?” Jimin asks, zooming in on my face. The smack that resounded from his face and my hands couldn’t be any clearer as everyone looked flabbergasted. I couldn’t help it. He was too close to me. His face was literally centimeters away. I clear my throat, trying to compose myself but from the smile on Jin’s face it wasn’t really working.  </p>
<p>“I’ll help you but on one condition,” I say.  </p>
<p>“What condition?” Hoseok asks as he crosses his arms. He had a wary expression on his face which I didn’t really fault him for. I didn’t trust any of them either, so why would he trust me? </p>
<p>"I help you make the cheesecake and you let me go home," I say.</p>
<p>“Well that’s not going to work,” a voice rang out from the doorway. A familiar blond walks in as I glare at him. </p>
<p>“Why the hell not?” I ask. </p>
<p>“Taehyung and Namjoon just got back and are on their way down,” Yoongi drawls as he sits on the sofa, “So it’s a little too late to save their asses.”</p>
<p>Great.</p>
<p>All I needed was more people screaming. </p>
<p>Everything was peachy. </p>
<p>Okay, maybe not. </p>
<p>Yoongi was sitting on the sofa with headphones on, lounging without a care in the world while Jin started to yell around the room about how he was going to die. Hoseok tried to calm him down but it was clearly useless as he himself was panicking and shouting back at Jin. Kook was trying to hide behind the sofas where Yoongi was sitting at while Jimin stood next to me, sighing to himself as if accepting his fate. </p>
<p>All in all, chaos ensued. </p>
<p>Their yelling and panic were above the roof. My head started to pound and not in a good way. It felt like someone was hitting a mallet to the back of my head with no reservation. I couldn’t help it. I crouched to the floor and covered my ears. My eyes closed tight as I tried to escape from the overwhelming noise going around me. They were loud and had no qualms about letting the world know their panic. </p>
<p>Hands went around my shoulders as if trying to comfort me but my head just continued to pulse. Each time it came it was stronger as if building upon one another and becoming even greater. My ears were ringing but I could hear a murmur. </p>
<p>“Lisha?”</p>
<p>I groaned, trying to press my hands to my temples as if it could relieve the pain. Someone took my hands, pushing them away from my face and placed a cool glass in it. Another pair of hands guided mine so that I sipped the water. Slowly the pain faded. Dulling into the background as I found 4 pairs of eyes staring at me with concern. </p>
<p>“Are you alright?” Jimin asks. </p>
<p>I nodded, unable to speak due to lingering nausea threatening to come up. </p>
<p>“Here, let’s get her to the sofa,” Jin says as he motions for Kook to help me up. </p>
<p>I try to wave them off, promising that I could still walk, but when I tried to get up from my knees, they stumbled back down like jello. The four men frown as Kook comes over and slides his arm beneath my knees and back. He lifts me up easily, making me dizzy from the altitude difference. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he whispers in my ear. </p>
<p>I couldn’t help but pat the hand wrapped around my arm. He was sweet for a kidnapper/stalker. </p>
<p>“Do you need anything? More water?” Jin asks, kneeling in front of me as I was placed on the sofa. He feels my forehead but frowns as he feels my temperature to be stable.</p>
<p>“I’m fine. Just migraines,” I said, waving his hand away. </p>
<p>I looked towards Yoongi who is now being pestered by Hoseok. It seems they were having a heated argument but I couldn’t hear a word since they were whispering. </p>
<p>“What’s all the fuss?” a voice calls out making each and every one of them freeze for a moment. Jin’s eyes had widened while Kook winced beside him. Jimin worries his lip, making them redder than they already were. Hoseok and Yoongi stop their conversation and turn towards the men now standing in the doorway. Everyone’s faces were odd. It was like seeing naughty children being caught by their parents.<br/><br/>I turned around to face the voice of the unknown man that made everyone turn into a statue. His eyes were a deep hazel, striking and sharp as his gaze swept through the room. He had thick, shapely brows and short, cropped hair unlike the other men in the room. He was tall, probably the tallest out of all the men in the room. His arms were crossed as he stood in a power pose that captured everyone’s attention. He was intimidating and breathtaking at the same time. </p>
<p>“Who’s that?” he asks, nodding towards me.</p>
<p>Instinctively, Kook and Jin were standing in front of me, as if hiding me from the man in front of us. I, however, couldn’t help but peek behind the two even if it was difficult. </p>
<p>“Namjoon, this is going to be difficult to explain,” Kook begins. </p>
<p>“You brought a client home because she was attacked by a shadow man,” the man named Namjoon answers as he relaxes his stance and sweeps his hand over his head. </p>
<p>Everyone seemed to become slack-jawed at his statement except for Yoongi who continued to sit relaxedly on the arm of the sofa. He must have told him what happened. </p>
<p>There was movement behind Namjoon as a dark-haired man popped behind his shoulder with a bright smile. He headed to the kitchen with a bounce in his step as he hummed a tune in a low voice. He had black fluffy hair which went in all directions as if he had just woken up. Contrary to his child-like actions, his face was angular and sharp, sculpted like a masterpiece of man. Is this the one they were all scared of? He seemed so innocent.</p>
<p>Everyone was holding a shallow breath as the dark-haired man continued his raid to the kitchen. He stopped short of entering the kitchen as he saw the cheesecake half-way gone on the countertop. He bent down and observed the cake, his eyes squinting, as if scrutinizing an offending item. He sighed, the smile on his face disappearing and replaced by a frown. </p>
<p>“Who ate it?” he asked. His voice resounded in the room making a shiver go down my spine. It was a rich sound. The voice was low and deep however the tone seemed to terrify everyone as they stiffened and crowded behind Yoongi who looked exasperated. </p>
<p>“Why do you all always hide behind me?” Yoongi mumbles. </p>
<p>It was a comedic sight, seeing 3 grown men hiding from the man who didn’t even seem like he was mad. </p>
<p>“I said,” the dark-haired man whispered, “WHO FUCKING ATE IT?!”</p>
<p>I flinched. He appeared out of nowhere. Standing one moment near the kitchen counter then appearing in front of Yoongi and reaching at Jin, Hoseok, and Jimin hiding behind him. He growled like a beast as he swiped at the three men who squealed behind Yoongi. Seemingly without effort, Yoongi held his arms out and kept the dark-haired man at bay while Kook grabbed his arms and restrained him. </p>
<p>I take it back. The dark-haired man was scary. I couldn’t help but feel guilty, though. Jin wasn’t the only one who ate that cheesecake.  </p>
<p>“I ate it,” my voice piped up making the men stare at me with widened eyes. The dark-haired man in Kook’s arms stopped flailing as he turned towards me with hair covering his eyes. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was yours.” I said. I kept my head down, afraid that the man was going to attack me next. </p>
<p>A hand came around my shoulders, wrapping comfortably as someone sat down next to me. Namjoon had leaned back on the sofa beside me, propping his leg up on his other leg as he watched the scene happening in front of him. “Tae, she’s a guest. We don’t want to scare off our guest.”</p>
<p>The dark-haired man, Tae, smacked Kook’s arms away as he continued to stare at me behind his dark bangs. A dark aura emanated from him as he stood there in silence.</p>
<p>Namjoon cleared his throat, “Tae.” His voice was stern and commanding which broke the dark trance the other man had. </p>
<p>“But-”</p>
<p>“No buts. You can buy another one. Anyways, it’s not like they finished the whole cake. There’s still half left, right?” Namjoon said, brow raised at the other man. </p>
<p>“Okay,” Tae answered as he walked back to the kitchen, “But this is all mine!”</p>
<p>A sound of relief went through the rest of the group as the beast was restrained. I felt a little uncomfortable though. Namjoon had his arm around my shoulder, a friendly gesture to some, but in this case it felt like he was holding me captive and in place. He turned towards me, hooded eyes analyzing me carefully as I squirmed under his stare. </p>
<p>"So," he says making me stiffen, "you're an unexpected case." <br/>  <br/>I blink in confusion from the lack of reprimand. Putting my head up, I turned and find him smiling at me. He had deep dimples that made him look friendly but those eyes. They hid something deep and made the otherwise friendly face, devoid of real emotion. Like an automatic response, similar to Hoseok earlier.  <br/>  <br/>"I guess?” I answer. My voice was pitched in the end which made me flinch. I shouldn’t show weakness. Not in front of these people. <br/>  <br/>A low hum answered my question as their leader continued to stare at me in contemplation. I couldn't help but stare back and observe him in return. Light dirty blonde hair cropped short accentuated his small face and sharp jaw. His hazel eyes were mesmerizing, dark flecks of gold hiding in between the dull forest green. They were stern and held an unfathomable depth I couldn’t comprehend. <br/>  <br/>"You don't need to be so nervous. I'm Namjoon. Nice to meet you, miss…" he trailed off, wanting me to fill in the gap. <br/>  <br/>"Lisha." I answered. <br/>  <br/>"Lisha," my name rolls off his tongue smoothly like he's said it a thousand times. "A fitting name for a lady of mystery." <br/>  <br/>His stare intensified, making me uncomfortable that I had to look somewhere else. Everyone else had seemingly gone back to their separate activities. Yoongi continued to lounge in his corner of the other sofa while Jin, Hoseok, and Jimin had preoccupied themselves next to him on their own phones. Kook had gone back to sitting on the floor in front of the television and played his game. My eyes couldn’t help but wander to the man sitting next to Kook devouring the cheesecake platter in his hand. He was an enigma. Angry one moment and happily munching on his cake the next. </p>
<p>Someone cleared their throat, breaking my trance. Namjoon smirked at me in amusement. <br/>  <br/>"That's Taehyung," he gestured to the odd man. Taehyung looked up, showing piercing grey eyes that narrowed on you. I couldn’t help but flinch. Was he still really mad?<br/>  <br/>"Sorry, he’s just pissed about the cake," Namjoon said. I nodded. Honestly, I’d be pretty angered if someone at the cheesecake I’d been vying for as well.  <br/>  <br/>"So, we're in a bit of a dilemma," Namjoon says. <br/>  <br/>"Why?" <br/>  <br/>"Your case is very... Odd. I've never come across anything like it before." <br/>  <br/>He leaned towards me, putting his face centimeters away from mine. Close! <br/>  <br/>"Can I?" he asks, raising his hand to my face. <br/>  <br/>I swallowed thickly, "Uh, what are you trying to do?" <br/>  <br/>"I'm trying to see if I can sense anything about your soul. Eyes are the windows to the soul after all." <br/>  <br/>"Oh… um okay." I closed my eyes as I felt his fingers softly touch my temples. They were warm and comforting, reminding me of a summer day. The warmth evolved into a burning sensation as it began to pulse. My chest started to constrict as if something was trying to squeeze my organs out of me. A thin layer of sweat began to form on my face while a scream could be heard from the distance. <br/>  <br/>"Joon!" <br/>  <br/>"Stop it! She's-" <br/>  <br/>The burn stopped. I felt something soft catch me as all the strength in my body escaped. A slight tingle continued pulsing down my spine as I groggily opened my eyes. <br/>  <br/>"Get the kit!" <br/>  <br/>"What's happening to her?" <br/>  <br/>The voices around were all overwhelming. I couldn't keep up with what they were saying but I knew they were all panicking. <br/>  <br/>"Shh…shh…" <br/>  <br/>Something warm was brushing my hair away from my face as I continued to flinch from the electrocuting sting that kept pulsing. <br/>  <br/>"You're okay… you'll be f-" <br/>  <br/>His face was blurry as I tried to focus. The sensation was too much and I felt overloaded. Soon enough everything faded.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So... DID ANYONE LISTEN TO D-2 YET??? AND THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR DAECHWITA???? OMG! I woke up this morning getting a notification that Yoongi was live-streaming on youtube and the next thing I know I'm being attacked!!! My Heart! </p>
<p>I hope everyone's doing well! Please stay safe if you're going out frequently!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. You'll be alright</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A different perspective and insight.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What did you do?” Jin asks.</p>
<p>Namjoon watches the older man cradle the unconscious girl in his arms. Her head injury was bleeding, red patches staining the bandages, and her face was pale. Her palms were red from clenching her fists tight before they loosened slightly as she fainted. <br/>
  <br/>
“I just followed protocol,” Namjoon answers, staring at the collapsed girl in shock. <br/>
  <br/>
He didn't think and he almost killed her. Namjoon's mouth purses, his brow furrowing in confusion. He had the power to bare souls with the simple touch of his fingers. It was a useful ability, especially as a Sandman. To find a client's deepest desires and secrets and manifest them into dreams made him one of the best in his job. Someone collapsing as he probed through their soul was unheard of unless… <br/>
  <br/>
Realization flashes through Namjoon's mind. He looks at Yoongi sitting on the sofa then back to the girl. Yoongi was unusually quiet in the midst of everything however the stiffness with which he held himself was a sign to Namjoon. He had not told him everything. <br/>
  <br/>
“You couldn’t have waited until her head injury was better?” Jin asks as he hands the girl over to Hoseok who was kneeling beside him. Hoseok immediately placed his palm on the girl's face, a slight glow emanating from it as he sighed. <br/>
  <br/>
“I’m sorry, okay? I didn't really think…” Namjoon frowns. <br/>
  <br/>
"Be thankful she's fine, Namjoon. You can't be so careless next time. If she dies, we'll be held responsible and you know we can't afford another reprimand," Hoseok states as he carries the girl out, following Jin. <br/>
  <br/>
Namjoon nods, a frown etched on his face that soon disappears as he turns back to the room. He observes Jimin and Taehyung who seem to squirm under the tense air of the room. He clears his throat, "Jimin, Taehyung, go help them." <br/>
  <br/>
"Ah, but Namjoon-" <br/>
  <br/>
A cutting side glance to Taehyung was all it took for him to turn silent. Namjoon was too calm for the situation but the way his mouth was pulled taut showed he was not to be argued with. <br/>
  <br/>
"We'll go," Jimin says hurriedly, pulling an unwilling Taehyung with him. "Do you want us to take Kookie along too?" <br/>
  <br/>
"No. I need to talk to both of them," Namjoon says. <br/>
  <br/>
Jimin gulps, nervous for the two members facing Namjoon's interrogation. He never wanted to be at the end of those. He pulled along a grumbling Taehyung and closed the door.  <br/>
  <br/>
The tension immediately grew in the room as Jungkook sat down next to Yoongi, preparing for their reprimand. <br/>
  <br/>
"Yoongi," Namjoon says as the other man swivels his head up to meet his leader's eyes, "Why didn't you tell me she was a Skugga?" <br/>
  <br/>
Yoongi continued to stare at Namjoon who stood in front of them in an imposing position. His arms were crossed while he leaned on the wall. His hands were holding the standard white gloves they wore for missions, however, Namjoon's gloves were stained. Black soot covered the gloves in patches, reminding them all of what he had done at his prior mission. <br/>
  <br/>
"I'm sorry, Namjoon. I wasn’t thinking and didn't report-" </p>
<p>"Jungkook." Namjoon's voice sliced through the younger man's apologies as he turned his eyes to him, "Did I tell you to speak?" <br/>
  <br/>
The purple-haired man bit his lip, looking down to his lap and mumbled his answer as he twisted his fingers. He didn't like it when he was being scolded by his leader and Namjoon only ever scolded him when he was really angry. <br/>
  <br/>
The leader swiveled his head back to the man in question who was dreading to reply. A few moments of silence passed. Namjoon cleared his throat, walking up to Yoongi and kneeling in front of him. He roughly lifted Yoongi’s chin to look him straight in the eye. Fear was clear in Yoongi's eyes however his voice didn't waver when he answered. <br/>
  <br/>
"I didn't think it was relevant information." <br/>
  <br/>
"It's not relevant information to know that I could potentially kill a client because I probed her soul?" Namjoon tilts his head, a smile on his lips but not reaching his eyes. <br/>
  <br/>
A cold sweat crawls its way down Yoongi's spine. He tries to escape Namjoon's stare by turning his head but his leader's fingers tug them back roughly. He flinches and Yoongi realizes his mistake. <br/>
  <br/>
"It seems I need to discipline you to show who is leading here," Namjoon says as his cold eyes pierce Yoongi's, "Punishment room. You both have five minutes to prepare yourself," Namjoon states. <br/>
  <br/>
Yoongi feels Namjoon pat his cheek lightly before he stands and walks out of the room. Namjoon was slipping his white gloves back, carefully tugging them through his long fingers. He smirked slightly as he left the two in the room. </p>
<p>Silent sobs heave through the younger boy which made Yoongi's heart clench in guilt. He takes Jungkook and wraps his arm around the younger boy, leading him to their punishment. <br/>
  <br/>
&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt; </p>
<p>
  <em>It was a normal day. I was getting ready to go to school, the scent of fresh cooking permeating the air even from my room. My mother was busy downstairs in the kitchen. Every morning she cooked breakfast and packed lunch for me. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Today was no different. There she was, standing in front of the stove in the kitchen. An apron tied to her body as wisps of her chestnut hair flowed from the messy bun on her head. She wasn't the most beautiful person in the world but to me she was perfect. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Mom, what's for breakfast?" I ask, my voice was higher pitched than I was used to. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>She stopped what she was doing. Frozen in her spot as she continued to face away from me. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Mom?" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>She didn't answer back. Did she not hear me? I began to approach her, feet softly tapping on the wooden floor. I placed my hand on her shoulder as she stiffened from my touch. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Mom, are you okay?" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>She turned. Her head tilted sideways as I took a step back in surprise. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Her eyes… What happened to her eyes? Her brown orbs were replaced by empty holes. Holes that looked as if they were drilled into her head. Her skin was ghastly. The once sun-kissed tan she received from hours of gardening was now pale and sported crawling black veins.  </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>She began to approach me and I was terrified.  </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"What did you do to me, Lisha?" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Her grip was strong, clenching on my shoulder as I tried to move away. It was happening again. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Let go!" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Why? So you can run away? Are you not going to save me this time either, Lisha?" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Her fingers pushed further on my muscle, the fingernails breaking skin as I cried out. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Are you letting me die, Lisha? You're a coward for letting me die," she taunted. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"Please let go," I plead. Tears streaming down my face as I collapsed to my knees. </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>Shh… It's okay… </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>"I’m sorry. Sorry…" </em><br/>
<br/>
<em>It's okay, you'll be alright… </em>
</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;  <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung and Jimin were sitting in the infirmary room side by side as they watched after the girl laying on the bed. She looked peaceful while asleep. Like she was having a good dream. The only thing that told of her misfortune was the bandage on her head which was accompanied by scratches on her face from the struggle she had with the shadow man. Hoseok had healed the girl as best as he could but the injury on her head would have to heal on its own. It seemed any injury the shadow man inflicted was something they couldn’t fix. <br/>
  <br/>
The shadow man. A mysterious entity. None of them knew the identity of the one behind the dark shadows. He was dangerous, ready to murder, and knew of their identity as Sandmen. What was unusual was that the shadow man wanted her too. Their mysterious client, Lisha.</p>
<p>She looked normal as most girls come. Average as most would say but there was something about her that made all of them wary. An instinct ringing in their bodies telling them to back off from a predator. <br/>
  <br/>
A whimper came from the bed as their patient began to frown. She thrashed lightly beneath the sheets, sweat beginning to form on her brow as she mumbled 'sorry' continuously. <br/>
  <br/>
"What's happening to her?" Jimin asked as he stood up to look closer at their patient. <br/>
  <br/>
Tears were flowing down her face, staining her skin, as her whimpers grew louder. <br/>
  <br/>
"Tae, we need Jin," Jimin says as he wipes the tears with his sleeve. It was sad to see her like this. Suffering in a dream. <br/>
  <br/>
They were Sandmen and they were responsible for dreams. Unfortunately, some dreams become nightmares, gripping poor souls alive in their memories. Trapped and alone with no one to turn to in their minds. <br/>
  <br/>
"She's so sad Minnie," Taehyung says as he takes off his glove. He carefully places his hand on hers and the girl unconsciously entwines their hands together. Her whimpers began to die down along with her uneasiness. She seemed to settle down with the touch. <br/>
  <br/>
"What'd you do?" Jimin asks, tilting his head towards Taehyung curiously. He glances at their joined hands, smiling softly with a look of relief. "You didn't have to do that," Jimin says, patting his friend's back. <br/>
  <br/>
"I know, but she looked lonely." Taehyung mumbles. The girl turns in her sleep, gripping Taehyung's hand closer to her wet face. <br/>
  <br/>
<em>It's okay, you'll be alright… </em><br/>
  <br/>
&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt; <br/>
  <br/>
I woke up in a dimly lit room. It was the same room I was brought to earlier, the one with the white ceilings. The only difference was the two men sitting on both sides of the bed. The blue-eyed angel, Jimin, sat on my right as he hummed to himself. He was listening to music as he had earphones plugged in. His voice was sweet and soft reminding of cotton candy clouds. </p>
<p>The other man was unexpected. It was the cheesecake monster… I mean, Taehyung. He was sat on my left while he focused on his phone. There was a slight frown on his brow as his mouth was set in a pout. His attention seemed to be solely on his phone that I couldn’t help but jump when he spoke.  <br/>
  <br/>
"Are you feeling better now?" Taehyung says. He looks at me from his phone, eyes sharp, and yet there was a sadness that made them darker than they should be. How… interesting. <br/>
  <br/>
Jimin looked up, his humming paused as his mouth widened in surprise. <br/>
  <br/>
"You're awake! Are you feeling better?" he asks, scrambling up and pulling his earphones out. He looked unsettled as his hands wandered to my head and onto the bandage wrapped around it. I flinched from his touch making a small frown form on his face. <br/>
  <br/>
"I-I… should go get Jin…" he mumbles. He pulls his hand to his chest, looking hurt. <br/>
  <br/>
"Jimin, I'm-" <br/>
  <br/>
"Don't worry about it," Jimin waves off, "Taehyung will look after you while I go get Jin." <br/>
  <br/>
"Jimin…" </p>
<p>But before I could say another word he was out the door. <br/>
  <br/>
"You worried him when you collapsed," Taehyung says as he continues to stare at his phone. I couldn't help but flinch when he talked. <br/>
  <br/>
He frowns and puts his phone away. He looks me straight in the eye, dark brown orbs almost black, "Why are you afraid of me?" <br/>
  <br/>
"I'm not afraid of you." <br/>
  <br/>
"You are. I can feel it," he says as he lifts his hand along with mine. My eyes widen as I find my fingers entwined with his. I try to pull it away but he further tightens his hold and doesn't let me escape. Instead, he pulls my fingers towards his mouth, softly brushing them upon his lips. <br/>
  <br/>
I couldn’t help but gasp in surprise, "What are you doing?" <br/>
  <br/>
"Your heart is racing," he whispers, the rich tenor made a chill run up my spine. He was mesmerizing and it felt like I was being hypnotized. I couldn't help but feel anxiety well up inside me as I realized what he said was the truth. My heart was trying to beat itself out of my chest, small gasps of air trying to relieve its violent thudding but unable to come close. Taehyung continued to watch me.  <br/>
  <br/>
"Why are you afraid?" <br/>
  <br/>
"I'm not afraid," I say. Flinching from the deeply embedded fingers in my skin, I couldn't help but feel cold sweat. He narrows his eyes as he pulls me. My face going past his and yet close enough that I could feel the warmth of his cheek on mine. <br/>
  <br/>
"Don't lie to me," he whispers, "I don't like liars." <br/>
  <br/>
"What's going on here?" a voice calls out. <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung blinks, letting my hand go as he stands from his seat. <br/>
  <br/>
"Nothing, I was just telling her to take it easy. I'm going out," he says. He waves his hand nonchalantly as if nothing happened and leaves the room leaving me dumbfounded. <br/>
  <br/>
Jin stares at me, contemplating. He then looks to Jimin who nods back and leaves the room. </p>
<p>"He didn't do anything, did he?" Jin asks. <br/>
  <br/>
Biting my lip, I looked down and decided to shake my head. He wouldn't believe me if I told them anyway. <br/>
  <br/>
"How are you feeling, Lisha?" Jin asks as he pats my bandaged head. He mumbles under his breath as he fixes a loose end. He looked concerned as if he genuinely cared about me but my gut was telling me differently. This man doesn't care for me, he's concerned because of me. The responsibility he'd have to take on if I were to be injured under his care must be disastrous if he was so apprehensive. <br/>
  <br/>
I tell him that I'm feeling better which he answers with a breath of relief. This man is a good actor. His reactions looked genuine but he had a tell that most wouldn't recognize. He probably didn't even know it but with the many moments I've worked in retail, you learn when people are fake. <br/>
  <br/>
"What happened?" <br/>
  <br/>
Jin tilts his head in question, "What do you mean?" <br/>
  <br/>
This was frustrating. It seems I wasn't getting any answers from this one from the way he was diverting my attention. It wasn't very difficult to catch my attention with the way he sat so elegantly on the stiff metal seat. Unfortunately for him, I was not so easily swayed. <br/>
  <br/>
"What did he-Namjoon- do to me?" I ask, my tone unwavering. I was determined to get answers from him since he seemed to be the easiest to pry them out of, other than Kook. <br/>
  <br/>
He straightened in his seat, pressing his palms to his knees as of readying himself. His mouth opened to answer but before a word came out a figure in the door interrupted. <br/>
  <br/>
"Jin? I heard Lisha was awake," Hoseok says as he enters the room. His mouth gapes in surprise as he sees me sitting on the bed but he soon recomposes himself. "How are you doing?" <br/>
  <br/>
I shrug, "I'm okay." <br/>
  <br/>
"Good," Hoseok answers, a smile gracing his face as he pats my hand through the blanket, "That's good." <br/>
  <br/>
An awkward silence takes over the room. Great. Awkward silences are what I needed right now. <br/>
  <br/>
"You wanted answers, right Lisha?" Jin asks, a smirk on his face as he pulls Hoseok down to his seat and goes to the door, "He can answer all of them for you." Jin winks and disappears before we could stop him. <br/>
  <br/>
The sneaky bastard. <br/>
  <br/>
Scratching the back of his head, Hoseok clears his throat, "So what did you want to ask?" <br/>
  <br/>
Breathing out a resigned sigh, I dove in. "What did Namjoon do to me?" <br/>
  <br/>
"He tried to see your soul," Hoseok answers. <br/>
  <br/>
"What now?" <br/>
  <br/>
"He tried to see your soul." <br/>
  <br/>
The look from my face must have been really confused judging from the exasperated sigh he lets out, "I'm guessing no one's told you about who we are, right?" <br/>
  <br/>
I shook my head. In the time I 'met' the guys I've been assaulted, kidnapped, fed a cheesecake that belongs to a man-child, and made to faint. I think it's reasonable that I have no clue what the hell is going on. <br/>
  <br/>
"I'll start from the beginning then. Do you know what Ole Lukoje are?" he asks. <br/>
  <br/>
"I'm sorry, say that one more time because I swear you said Old Locos. Isn't that some alcohol brand or something?" <br/>
  <br/>
Hoseok stared at me then burst out laughing. His whole body threw itself from the metal stool that he was barely able to keep himself steady on. Tears were streaming from his eyes as he continued to laugh which made me uncomfortable because I knew that I said something stupid again. <br/>
  <br/>
"No. Not Old Locos. Ole Lukoje. Others call us Sandman." <br/>
  <br/>
"Well, you could've started with that," I huff, crossing my arms. <br/>
  <br/>
"What?" he asks. <br/>
  <br/>
"Don't Sandmen give people dreams? Like you sprinkle the… oh- OH!" <br/>
  <br/>
He tilts his head, brow raised in confusion. <br/>
  <br/>
"Yoongi and Kook! They tried to make me go to sleep…" <br/>
  <br/>
Realization crosses his face, "Oh. Yeah, you're in their jurisdiction." <br/>
  <br/>
I nodded. <br/>
  <br/>
"Anyways… You got the basics of our job. We give people dreams and fulfill their desires through them," he says. A slight hesitation occurs in the pause he makes which is curious. What is he trying to hide? <br/>
  <br/>
"We also collect and guide souls when they pass," he whispers. <br/>
  <br/>
I try to register what he said. Collect and guide souls. "Isn't that what-" <br/>
  <br/>
“What are you two talking about?” </p>
<p>Hoseok and I turn towards the door in surprise. Standing there was the person I wasn’t expecting to see at all. </p>
<p>“Hoseok, can you go see Yoongi and Jungkook. They’re in the room,” Namjoon says. </p>
<p>Hoseok narrows his eyes as he folds his arms. </p>
<p>“I’m not going to do anything,” Namjoon says, lifting his hands in surrender.</p>
<p>Hoseok’s mouth tightens into a straight line however he sighs, albeit reluctantly as he looks back to me. “I’ll see you later, Lisha,” he says and before I could even say a word he’s gone. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello to anyone and everyone reading this right now! Thank you for visiting and making it this far! I really appreciate when people read my work, even if there's no comments or kudos at all, the fact that it was looked at just makes me happy. </p>
<p>This update was late because there were just so many things I wanted to put in there. I mean writing 8 characters in a story is tough, especially if not all of them have the same goals and desires. As you can tell from this chapter, I deviated from 1st person POV  &gt;_&lt;</p>
<p>I've been hearing a lot of news lately which has been really negative and it's been making me quite sad. The best way to look at it is that life is a roller coaster and this is the slope that comes before we all go back up and enjoy the other loops. </p>
<p>Please stay safe!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bittersweet revelations...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He stood at the end of the bed, looking down to his gloved hands which gripped the metal frame. I hadn't noticed him wearing those before but it seems like he'd need to wash them soon as they were stained with dark patches of gray. <br/>  <br/>It was hard to start a conversation with him and he looked to be in a similar position. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly, unsure of what to say, a frown etched in his brow as he tried to rack his brain for something. <br/>  <br/>I giggled, catching his attention as his eyes widened slightly. He grinned like a young boy, dimples embedded deep within his cheeks, but like earlier, there was something about all of them that made the hairs on my head stand. <br/>  <br/>"I'm sorry about earlier," he says, finally gaining the courage to speak. "I didn't know you were a Skugga so when I tried to look into your soul it blocked me out." <br/>  <br/>There were many things about that sentence that seemed to whip itself above my head. First of all, I appreciated the apology. Admitting a mistake and owning up to it is a difficult thing to do and I appreciated that he started with one. Onto other matters, there was that word again. The one that everyone seems to have on their lips when it came to me. <br/>  <br/>"I heard the shadow man say that too. What does it mean?" <br/>  <br/>"He mentioned it?" Namjoon asks. His face morphing into a stern expression. He walked closer to me, bending his head slightly as he grabbed my upper arms. "Are you sure he said it?" <br/>  <br/>Nervously nodding, I couldn't help but wonder why he was being like this. Kind one moment and frightening the next. This man seemed to run hot and cold with his expressions as he began to mumble curses under his breath. <br/>  <br/>"Why? What's wrong?" <br/>  <br/>He looks at me, realizing that he was scaring me as he takes a deep breath, "He knows what you are." <br/>  <br/>"And what am I?" <br/>  <br/>The thudding in my heart reflected the dread I felt. The next words from his mouth were the most unexpected thing I heard. <br/>  <br/>"You're what he's been looking for," Namjoon’s says, "You're a weapon. A weapon he can use to accomplish what he wants. A shadow manipulator." <br/>  <br/>The mixed feelings I had must have been evident on my face. Honestly, I was both confused and terrified. Were the shadows not a hallucination? Were they truly listening and talking to me? How could that even be possible? It had never happened before and no normal person would go out saying that they can talk to shadows. I mean, if I heard myself, I would think I was crazy. Maybe I really did get hit in the head too hard. I was probably only dreaming everything up after falling into bed or something. It wouldn't be a surprise. That last fanfic was pretty intense and I've dreamt up vivid scenarios before. <br/>  <br/>Hysterical laughter began to bubble up inside of me as I shook my head and curled in on myself, "This isn't really real, is it? It's all just a dream and I'll wake up tomorrow not remembering any of this." <br/>  <br/>Namjoon frowned, "Lisha, I'm sorry but this isn't some fantasy." <br/>  <br/>"How do you know it's true though? I only talked to the shadows once! One time! It may have all just been a fluke for all we know?" <br/>  <br/>Sighing, Namjoon shook his head, "Why don't you try it right now?" <br/>  <br/>"What?" <br/>  <br/>"Try it. Talk to the shadows and try to call them," Namjoon says. <br/>  <br/>I narrow my eyes at him, uncertainty swirling inside me at the thought of doing such a thing. If I called the shadows and nothing happened, this was all a dream. If the shadows responded, it was all real. Everything that happened is real. "How do I even do that?" <br/>  <br/>Namjoon shrugs, "Just call them out like an old friend." <br/>  <br/>"Um… Shadow?" I whisper hesitantly. The room was still and the only thing I could hear was the quiet breaths Namjoon and I were making. It was quiet and nothing was out of place. I was starting to relax as nothing happened. This really is just a dream- <br/>  <br/><em>Yes?  </em><br/>  <br/>This cannot be happening! I jumped and hid behind the closest thing I could find, which was the unfortunate man who I placed between me and the dark mass hovering above the bed. I couldn't help but shriek at its appearance. It wasn't what I expected. The large blob of black and gray oscillated in front of us, formless and blank. <br/>  <br/><em>What can we do for you?</em> <br/>  <br/>I looked at Namjoon for a moment, a smirk on his face as he stares at the blob in front of us. I couldn't help but clutch at his shirt just in case he tried to run away and make me face the thing in front of us. <br/>  <br/><em>Mistress? </em><br/>  <br/>A sigh came from the blob as it oscillated back and forth reminding me of a person shaking its head. Was it shaking its head at me? <br/>  <br/>"Why aren't you talking to it? You called them," Namjoon says. I glared at him, blaming him inside for the shadow blob hovering around us. What have I gotten myself into? <br/>  <br/>"Um… Shadow?" <br/>  <br/><em>Yes? </em><br/>  <br/>"What are you?" <br/>  <br/>The shadow froze for a moment as if thinking of its answer as it began to mold into a familiar shape. <br/>  <br/><em>Do you not remember me, mistress? </em><br/>  <br/>A gasp escapes from my lips as a familiar puppy stands on the mattress in front of me, "That's not possible," I murmured. The fluffy dog starts to wag its tail as its tongue sticks out of its mouth. "Coco?" <br/>  <br/>The puppy jumps towards my lap, bypassing Namjoon, and licks me in the face making me laugh. "How is this possible? How are you… Mom told me you ran away." <br/>  <br/><em>I didn't run away. Your mother sent us away… for your protection. </em><br/>  <br/>My hands froze as it held the fur-ball away from me. This was wrong.  The dog I remember from my childhood was a quiet dog that barely barked. Coco wasn't supposed to be able to talk. <br/>  <br/>"You're not Coco." <br/>  <br/>The dog tilted its head, confused at my actions. <br/>  <br/><em>I am Coco. </em><br/>  <br/>"No, you're not. Coco isn't supposed to be able to talk to me. He was a normal dog. A puppy my father had gotten me before he-he…" </p>
<p><em>Before your father left. He left because he and your mother had an argument. I was there with you, playing with you in the living room, trying to distract you. </em><br/>  <br/>Tears began to blur my vision as the memories of my father's disappearance washed over me. He had left when I was a child. It had been after my fourth birthday. He and my mother had gotten into an argument, one that I never imagined being the last. I had been playing with Coco in the living room when I heard them shouting at each other. It wasn't unusual to hear them arguing often in those days but I remember being even more scared that day. The sound of glass breaking echoing in the house was a memory I never wanted but couldn't erase. <br/>  <br/>Namjoon cleared his throat beside me, "What's it saying? Why are you so upset?" <br/>  <br/>I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear them. "You can't hear it speak?" <br/>  <br/>"No, I wouldn't ask if I couldn't." <br/>  <br/>"I'm sorry, Coco just… it's nothing," I said. "I guess everything you said was true." <br/>  <br/>"I'm sorry, Lisha. I wish I could've broken the news to you better but we don't have any time. The shadow man can attack at any time." <br/>  <br/>"I understand. Just tell me what I have to do." </p>
<p><br/>  <br/>&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt; </p>
<p><br/>Hoseok closes the door, making his escape from the conversation he was having with Lisha. It wasn’t a bad thing that she was asking questions given the situation she was placed in but he didn’t really like breaking the hard news to others if he could help it. When Jin abandoned him with the girl, he didn’t realize how frustratingly unaware she was about what was happening and the fact that she was in the middle of it all made it even worse. He couldn’t be more grateful when Namjoon came in through the door. </p>
<p><br/>His footsteps echo in the empty hallway as he makes his way to his destination. The punishment room. It wasn’t often one of them was called into the room by Namjoon but when they were, he dreaded the result. He only hopes Namjoon had spared them the heavy injuries. Hoseok never liked it when one of them was hurt. Always hoping that they never worked in the job they currently had but unable to avoid the dangers nevertheless. <br/>  <br/>He knocked on the door. A grunt echoed from within as a muffled voice calls out, “Who’s there?” <br/>  <br/>“It’s me,” Hoseok calls out as he turns the knob and is faced with a sight that made him cringe. Yoongi was chained to the wall, white shirt ripped from the seams as scratches littered his chest, red and angry. His lips were similarly shaded along with the angry marks around his neck and shoulder. His usual shaggy blond hair was now matted on his forehead from the sweat that poured from him. He looked ragged.</p>
<p>Hoseok hurries to his friend and unlocks the cuffs holding him as he falls limply. Barely catching him, Hoseok drags him to the large bed in the middle of the room where he finds Jungkook curled in on himself. The younger man was mumbling to himself, tears streaming down his face as his body was similarly marked like Yoongi’s. The only difference was that Jungkook was naked as the day he was born. Scraps of his previous clothing hanging from him in rags, the bruises marring his pale skin. <br/>  <br/>Hoseok frowns, worry in his eyes as he lays Yoongi next to Jungkook who curls his arm around him. The younger man couldn’t be blamed when he flinched. The bruises looked unpleasant and told of how hard their punishment was. <br/>  <br/>Placing his hands on the two in the room, a light glow emanates from his fingers and makes the two injured sigh with relief. It was times like this when Hoseok was thankful for his healing touch. An ability he saw as both a blessing and a curse. There was only so much he could do and he couldn’t help everybody. <br/>  <br/>Jungkook stopped shaking, his bruises slowly fading and turning back to its unmarred state. His breathing had slowed as he faded to sleep which Hoseok was happy for. It meant that Jungkook would refresh for the day. He was like a computer that way. Shut him down for the next day to restart as a new slate. Like a newborn baby, unaware of the transgressions he experienced yesterday. The one Hoseok was concerned about was the man still healing in his arms. Yoongi continued to groan as Hoseok caressed his arm where his old shoulder injury continued to bother him. <br/>  <br/>“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you got this,” Hoseok whispers as he holds Yoongi. <br/>  <br/>Yoongi’s hand touches Hoseok’s, squeezing it lightly, “You were there for me after and every moment since then. That’s enough for me.” <br/>  <br/>“Do you need help to go back to your room?” Hoseok asks, eyes glistening with unshed tears. <br/>  <br/>“Yeah, I can’t carry Kook right now,” Yoongi crinkles his nose in distaste at his weakness. “Thanks, Hoseok.” <br/>  <br/>“Anything for you, Yoongi.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello! I hope everyone is having a good weekend and is doing well. I've been in zoom classes this weekend from 8 AM to 6 PM and it's been killing me. I hate having to sit and listen to something for so long. I mean, we get a break every 2 hours or so but still, it's a pain (especially when your instructor talks too much...). </p>
<p>Anyways... Please keep safe and remember to be cautious outside. There's just been a lot of things going on and well, it's better to be safe than sorry right now. (&gt;_&lt;)</p>
<p>I might update this story sooner this week but we'll see &lt;3</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Locks and Doors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hmm... A little action and a little kick-ass.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>15 hours and 37 fucking minutes. That's how long I've been locked in this room. This pristinely white, sterile, and aggravatingly sealed room. There’s not a window in sight and the only door leading somewhere useful was locked from the outside. The ticking of the clock on the wall did nothing but irritate me more as it reminded me of how long I’ve been unwillingly made prisoner. </p><p>I fumbled with the lock again with the safety pin I found in one of the cabinets. The state of the cabinet was something that should’ve been alarming but frankly, I had no reason to care. My only concern at the moment was getting out. </p><p>Namjoon had walked out, leaving me in the room without a word. He was talking about training me but then out of nowhere he stood up and left. HE FUCKING LEFT AND LOCKED THE DOOR IN THE PROCESS! What person does that? </p><p>Click… That sounded promising. </p><p>I held the knob in my hands, taking a deep breath and mumbling a prayer hoping that this freaking door would open. The rattling made me deflate. What is this door? Why won’t it just freaking break? Maybe if I stared hard enough, lasers would shoot from my eyes and break this door down? Ugh, who was I kidding? My life is a freaking joke. <br/>  <br/><em>Mistress? </em><br/>  <br/>I jumped, landing on my butt hard as I looked over at the dog laying on the bed. "Uh…I didn’t realize you were still here." </p><p>Coco tilted his head, eyes intelligent as he stood up and jumped off the bed. His eyes made me shiver. They weren’t the normal eyes you would see on a dog. There was something deeper beneath them. An awareness that even most people didn’t have. <br/>  <br/><em>What are you trying to do?</em> </p><p>I let out a sigh. I may as well talk to Coco and prevent myself from insanity, "I'm trying to get out." <br/>  <br/><em>Do you need assistance? </em><br/>  <br/>"Why? Can you do that?" <br/>  <br/>Coco rolled his eyes at me and stood in front of the closed door. The bolts inside the lock could be heard as they clicked. With a final click, the handle turned and the door swung open. Coco looked back at me with his tail wagging. If I didn’t know better he looked like he was smirking.  <br/>  <br/>"You're telling me you could've opened that door earlier? What have you been doing for the past 15 hours?!" <br/>  <br/><em>You never asked for help. </em><br/>  <br/>I've never felt the urge to slap a dog so hard. The sass was real and trust me, I'm against animal cruelty and all that but never have I felt so duped.</p><p>“You watched me struggle with a freaking door for 15 hours when you were able to open it. Wow. Thanks a lot, buddy,” I answered the dog with an exasperated sigh. It’s a lot to take in. Finding out my childhood dog isn’t dead and is a shadow that’s been protecting me is something that hasn’t quite processed in my head yet. </p><p>“Sorry. I’m stressed,” I murmur as I looked at the dog standing next to me. He was wagging his tail, looking as cute as I remember him. It just unnerved me knowing that this dog isn’t exactly normal. Sighing, I rubbed my temples and began to peek my head outside the unlocked door. The hallway was empty and devoid of life. Perfect for escaping. </p><p>I run down the path I remember taking with the others earlier with Coco following behind me. His small paws echoed on the floor which was oddly reassuring. I guess the thought of knowing I wasn’t alone in a strange place was encouraging. I looked over my shoulder hearing an unusual noise. The sound of voices made me pause. There was a room down the hall that was leaking light. I should avoid it as much as possible but the only way I knew to get out of here was through this hall. I took a deep breath and picked my legs up as slowly as possible. The goal was to make the least amount of noise possible. </p><p>"Taehyung, what's wrong?" a voice asks, ringing out from the room.  <br/> <br/>"It's nothing Jimin. Why do you keep bothering me?" Taehyung brushes Jimin aside as I peeked in at their conversation. I know this was a bad thing to do. It was an invasion of privacy but did they want a private conversation if they left the door ajar? <br/>  <br/>"It's not nothing. You've been off since I left you with Lisha," Jimin grabs Taehyung’s arm gently but the other man brushes him off and turns away. <br/>  <br/>"Dude, drop it." <br/>  <br/>"But-" <br/>  <br/>"I said drop it. Nothing's going on." <br/>  <br/>"Taehyung," Jimin’s voice made a chill go down my spine as his eyes darkened and Taehyung flinched. Wow. I take back what I said about Taehyung. It’s Jimin who’s scarier. <br/>  <br/>"I'm sorry, I just…" <br/>  <br/>Jimin walks towards Taehyung, their torsos touching and breaths deep. His hand caresses Taehyung’s face which morphs in a desperate expression, "It's okay. I'm here for you. Anything you need," <br/>  <br/>"Jimin…" <br/>  <br/>The shorter man cocks his head, mischief clear in his dark blue eyes. The voice that comes out of his mouth is seductive. Sultry even. "What is it Taehyung? Do you need something?" </p><p>"I need…" Taehyung’s voice is husky. I couldn’t see his expression but from how his back stiffens from Jimin’s touch my imagination went wild.<br/>  <br/>"Tell me, baby. What do you need?" </p><p>A whine escapes Taehyung’s lips making my heart thump faster. The way he leaned closer to Jimin, pressing himself to the other man. His sweat glistened in the dim light, his panting shallow, and I couldn't take my eyes off them. They were breathtaking. <br/>  <br/>Jimin's loving whispers contrasted the harsh jerking movements of his hands. My eyes wandered to Taehyung's crotch where Jimin was doing wonders as he kissed feverishly at Taehyung's neck. His hands moved with purpose, slowly caressing at Taehyung's chest and languidly teasing his member with the other. Squelching noises echoed, Taehyung's pleasure imminently nearing as he took a sharp breath. <br/>  <br/>"Please… please…Jimin!" <br/>  <br/>"Shh… it's okay, I'll take care of you." <br/>  <br/>Taehyung whimpers. The sound of his deep voice in torment makes me feel warm inside. The way he looked blissfully agonized at Jimin's ministrations made me rub my thighs together in an attempt to appease the growing wetness there. <br/>  <br/>The next moment, Jimin is kneeling and pulling Taehyung's slacks down to his knees. The boxers he wore soon followed to the ground as Jimin's pink lips encased Taehyung. A small hum of approval from Jimin made Taehyung jerk his hips forward and grab Jimin's head violently towards his pelvis. Jimin seemed delighted at the action from the way his cheeks lifted. He continued to moan as Taehyung pressed Jimin's head closer. Taehyung was swearing under his breath. </p><p>I could feel my breath shorten in shallow gasps but then the feeling of guilt overwhelmed my chest. I shouldn’t be doing this. This was wrong. Eavesdropping and peeping on other people’s private moments were wrong but it did run my imagination wild. What can I say? A writer will take inspiration anywhere they can. A weight on my leg pulled at the sweatpants I was wearing. The dark void of Coco’s eyes made the guilt I tried to push down resurface. Bad Lisha! </p><p>Taking slow steps away from the door where forbidden things were happening, I find myself taking a deep breath as I turn the corner. </p><p>“Oof!”</p><p>“Lisha? What are you doing out here?” Jin asks as he catches me by my arms before I face planted once again to the floor. </p><p>“Uh…” Words escaped me. Shit. Why was he here?! He looked me up and down, his eyes searching for any injuries. Why did this man have to be so caring?</p><p>“Where were you planning on going?” Jin asks, his brow lifting in suspicion. His arms are crossed and it makes his broad shoulders look wider. Have you ever felt that feeling when someone looks at you and you immediately felt stupid? Yeah, that’s what I am right now. Speechless and dumb. </p><p>“Hmm… If you’re here wandering the halls alone that must mean Namjoon finished his talk with you,” he says, a proud expression on his face. Jin frowns as I stand there with heated cheeks, “You shouldn’t be alone out here. Where are Jimin and Taehyung?”</p><p>I look at him in surprise, “Jimin and Taehyung?”</p><p>Jin sighs, uncrossing his arms, “Yes. They were supposed to be looking after you when Namjoon was done.”</p><p>I feel a blush settle on my face heating up from the memory of what I’d heard coming from the room. The image of Jimin kneeling in front of Taehyung was something I wasn’t getting rid of for a while. Jin waves his hand in front of me, an impish grin set on his handsome face. He leaned towards me, closing me in as I felt my back on the wall. His warm breath grazed my skin, his arms closed me in and cut off any escape. A shiver goes down my spine. </p><p>"I didn't think you were the type to peep," Jin whispered, his voice low and tempting. This man was trouble and he knew it. "Do you like watching, Ms. Pervert?" <br/>  <br/>My brain combusted. That was illegal. He wasn't supposed to be able to seduce and guilt-trip me in the same sentence. I felt flushed.  "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" <br/>  <br/>A gasp escapes from my lips. The heat was too much. On instinct, I pushed at his chest where I felt strong muscles ripple. <br/>  <br/>"Please stop," my voice high pitched and my breath coming in short pants. "I'm sorry for peeking! I didn't mean to, I just-" <br/>  <br/>"Just what?" <br/>  <br/>The image of the two beautiful men down the hall was back in full force as a loud moan escaped and echoed in the hall. Get your head out of the gutter! <br/>  <br/>"I-I..." <br/>  <br/>Jin chuckles but the darkening in his eyes remained. He grabs my wrist and leads me down the hall to a room I've never been to before. Inside, multiple computers mounted the walls and the man whom I cursed for the past 15 hours of my imprisonment looks up from his desk. <br/>  <br/>"I was wondering how long it'd take you to make it here. I didn’t expect Jin to escort you though," Namjoon says as his eyes moved to Jin's grip on my arm. </p><p>Jin doesn't let go and simply smiles. "She was wandering in the halls alone so I thought maybe she could see how we work," Jin says. <br/>  <br/>Namjoon nods but keeps his stare on our connected hands. I swear, being around these men will burn my cheeks off from the amount of embarrassment I’ve felt around them. They seemed to enjoy making me flustered. Namjoon looks at the clock mounted on the wall and frowns, “16 hours and 12 minutes… Seems we have a lot to work on if that’s how long it takes for you to get out of a locked room.”</p><p>I blinked. Was he fucking with me? "You locked me in a room just to see how fast I could escape?!" I said, my voice pitching higher like a harpy in attack mode. </p><p>The man shrugged nonchalantly as he looked back towards the papers on his desk, "It seemed like a good idea, especially knowing what we're up against." <br/>  <br/>"Are you kidding me?!” I yelled, wrenching my hand out of Jin’s grasp and slamming them on the desk. Namjoon looked startled but he regained his composure quickly as he quirked his brow. “You locked me in a room!”</p><p>“Yes, and?” Namjoon asks me as if I was stupid. What was with these men and making me feel stupid?</p><p>“Do you not see what’s wrong with that?” I shrieked. <br/>  <br/>"No. I like to think of it as a creative exercise,” Namjoon says as he stands from his desk, “Anyways, you did escape the room, even if it did take you hours to do so.”</p><p>“I don’t see how that makes any sense! You could have told me!” I yell, the anger inside me rising. The heat I previously felt from desire now morphed into one of fury.</p><p>“That wouldn’t be conducive to the exercise. I had to make you believe that you were trapped so that you would become desperate. It was the only way to test your instincts,” Namjoon says as he leans on his desk. He wasn’t even paying attention to me as he fiddled with the pad in his hands. It seems there were more pressing matters more important than my ire. </p><p>“Namjoon,” Jin says warningly. </p><p>“You got out, didn’t you? I don’t see what the problem is,” Namjoon says. </p><p>“Namjoon. It’s time to shut up,” Jin says as he stares at the shadows growing behind me. Namjoon raises his head and looks towards Jin. </p><p>“Why do- Oh…” </p><p>“Is that all you can say for yourself?” I say, my voice quiet but filled with rage. The anger helped bring the shadows out. It was easier to talk to them and smoother to control how they moved. </p><p>
  <em>Mistress? What do you need?</em>
</p><p>“Beat him up,” I say, power filling my every word. Namjoon stood frozen, eyes wide and his adam's apple bobbing slowly in fear.</p><p>At least now he had my full attention. <br/> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone who's still reading! I'm sorry this update is a week late... It's been a rough week with family issues that just wouldn't leave me alone. It was like a field of flies hovering around a pile of dung that just wouldn't go away. Sorry for the colorful description. So... we see a little Vmin in this chapter (cue my naughty face) and that's another reason it took a little longer. I'm not familiar with writing smut at all but I will try. Anyways, I'm hoping to add more ships in there and of course, there will be some development with Lisha as well! Don't worry, it's a little slow but it will get there in the next few chaps or so. We need to build the ships to let them sail! </p><p>Stay safe and be good my lovelies!<br/>Hana &lt;3</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Not as scary after all...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A large bang echoed through the whole building, the sound concerning for all its inhabitants. Jimin glances up from Taehyung's chest and meets the worry in the other's dark eyes. The frown marring Taehyung's brow made Jimin sit up further and pull the blanket with him baring Taehyung's sweat-soaked skin. He was beautiful in the most inhumane way that most people would look at him and think that God was biased in his making. But Jimin knew better. Deep inside, behind those gorgeous dark brown eyes was a soul as tortured as his. <br/>  <br/>Screams and yelps of pain could be heard that made Jimin sit up fully along with Taehyung in surprise. <br/>  <br/>"That's weird," Taehyung says as he scratches his head. Jimin couldn't help but admire the way Taehyung's lithe muscles moved in the dim light of the room. To say he was entranced was an understatement. <br/>  <br/>"Why do you say that?" Jimin asks, picking up his slacks which were haphazardly thrown before. <br/>  <br/>"The Sleepers haven't woken up so the base isn't under attack," Taehyung says as he gets up from the bed. He glances around the room for his own clothes but the way his eyes were closed made it impossible. Jimin couldn't help but think of how much of a dork he was but he couldn't fault him. Their prior activities drained them in the best possible way. <br/>  <br/>"Here," Jimin throws the pile of clothes in Taehyung's arms as he kisses his plump cheek. <br/>  <br/>"Thanks," Taehyung mumbles, pulling his arm into his shirt, "If the base isn't under attack, why are they hollering?" <br/>  <br/>Jimin blinks. That was a very good question. What was happening that made them scream like that? <br/>  <br/>Another shriek garners their attention as they hurry to right their clothes. Namjoon would have their hide if they looked like they've been up to something and knowing him, they would earn their way into the punishment room if that were the case. <br/>  <br/>They run down the hall towards the screams and find themselves in the main office. The sight they come upon was a sight to behold. Desks and chairs were turned over, papers were strewn in random directions, and scuffs on the walls made it seem like a tornado blew through the place. In the middle of the room, a dark figure stood with numerous shadows surrounding them. Jin and Namjoon stood in front of the figure, cowering in their tattered uniforms as Jin struggled to hold his barrier together. The shadows continuously attacked and each hit made Jin shriek as a hole would form in his barrier, decimating it slowly. <br/>  <br/>"Lisha! Please," Jin shouts, sweat covering his brow. Jimin and Taehyung couldn't help but continue to look at the dark figure in awe. <br/>  <br/>"You idiot! You should apologize properly!" Jin yells at Namjoon as he grunts from another attack. <br/>  <br/>"But I-" <br/>  <br/>"Apologize!" <br/>  <br/>"Okay, okay," Namjoon says, holding his hands up in surrender, "Lisha?" <br/>  <br/>"What?" Lisha asks, pausing in her tirade. Her voice was eerie as if multiple people were talking at once, layered over one another. It made a chill crawl up Jimin's spine. He had never heard anything like it before. <br/>  <br/>"I apologize for locking you in the room without explanation. It was an oversight. It shouldn't have happened," Namjoon says, kneeling and bowing his head to the floor. <br/>  <br/>All were stunned into silence. The shadows in the room stilling as everyone looked at Namjoon on the floor. He had never done that before. He would admit his faults and wrongs but he had never apologized for something so dramatically. <br/>  <br/>"It won't happen again," Namjoon says as he looks up at Lisha. The sincerity in his eyes couldn't be mistaken as Lisha's shoulders relaxed. The shadows soon receded into corners of the room and a small dog was left standing next to the young woman. <br/>  <br/>"What the hell is happening?" Hoseok says as he barges into the room disheveled. He looks around and finds a battered Jin and Namjoon on the floor. Jin's breathing was labored while Namjoon was still on his knees with his head down, staring at the floor and looking defeated. <br/>  <br/>Jimin heads towards Jin, staring at the older man with worry, "Jin… Do you-" <br/>  <br/>"I'm fine… Just a little drained," Jin says as shallow pants escape his mouth. Hoseok follows and fusses over the two men on the floor. There were visible bruises on their faces. Sweat mussed their hair and their clothes were barely holding on in scraps. <br/>  <br/>"How-" <br/>  <br/>"She’s a Skugga… A powerful one at that," Namjoon states, his eyes burning with curiosity as he looked at Lisha. He mumbles quietly to himself as he sits on the floor. Hoseok frowns as he looks over Namjoon and finds most of his injuries to be superficial. Jin looked worse and it worried Hoseok because he wasn’t sure if it was from straining his barrier or from physical injuries. Jimin meets Hoseok's eyes and the older man notes the flash of guilt in the younger man’s eyes. “Where were the two of you? You were supposed to watch after her." <br/>  <br/>Jimin quickly looks away from Hoseok and glances at Taehyung, "We were… busy." <br/>  <br/>A snort escaped Jin as he pushed himself off the floor, "Busy getting it on, you mean." <br/>  <br/>Red flushed through Jimin and Lisha's cheeks while Taehyung crossed his arms, "What's wrong with that?" <br/>  <br/>"What's wrong is that you both slacked off while on duty!" Hoseok scolds. Taehyung flinches from Hoseok's exclamation. Taehyung didn't like being scolded. It made him feel like a child, especially when Hoseok was the one doing it. Hoseok sighed as he helped Namjoon stand from the floor. He looked towards Jimin who was already holding Jin up and found his eyes landing on Taehyung. <br/>  <br/>"We're going to take these two to the infirmary," Hoseok looks at Lisha who bites her bottom lip, "Taehyung you're watching Lisha." <br/>  <br/>"But-" <br/>  <br/>"I don't want to hear it. You're on guard duty, do your job properly," Hoseok says, a stern look in his eyes as he switches his view to Taehyung. The younger man opens his mouth and closes it firmly, a sullen expression forming on his face as he sees the four men in front of him. <br/>  <br/>"Fine," Taehyung says, a pout forming on his lips. He and Lisha watch the other four men as both were left behind in the damaged room. Taehyung huffed, glancing at his ward who was rubbing her arm anxiously and looking at the floor. <br/>  <br/>"Um…" <br/>  <br/>A sigh escapes Taehyung's mouth, “You’ll have to get over your fear of me someday.”</p><p>Lisha glances at him in surprise. She continued to redden her lip as her teeth grasped their hold on them with the anxiety she was feeling. A small whine came from below. Coco was pawing at her leg which made Taehyung cock his head in question. “A dog?”</p><p>Picking up Coco, she looks at him straight on. She was afraid that he would reprimand her for bringing things to their space without permission but his dark eyes showed a light of innocence she didn’t expect. “He’s not really a dog…Um, he’s a shadow.”</p><p>“Oh,” Taehyung walks closer to her, carefully holding his hands up for Coco to look at. “Can I?”</p><p>Lisha looked at him in surprise, stumbling slightly as she handed Coco for him to hold, “Uh, sure.”</p><p>With experienced hands Taehyung took the dog in his arms, looking at Coco happily and petting his head with care. Coco, in turn, acted like a normal dog. He snuggled his small body in Taehyung’s arms and even tried to lick his face which made the man giggle. Lisha was stunned. She didn’t think he could make a sound like that. He looked at Lisha, his expression going back to a poker face, as his long fingers continued to stroke the contented dog. “I have a dog. Yeontan. He’s at home and I don’t get to bring him to work because it’s not allowed.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>They both continued to stand in the room, one awkward and fidgeting while the other seemed content to play with the shadow-dog in his arms. </p><p>“Do you-”</p><p>“Is it-”</p><p>Lisha and Taehyung looked at one another in amusement. A deep chuckle resounds from Taehyung as Lisha clears her throat, “You first.” </p><p>“I was going to ask if you wanted to go to another room,” Taehyung says, hand scratching the back of his head as he balances Coco on the other. </p><p>“Sure,” Lisha answers. She follows him out of the room thinking that maybe this cheesecake monster wasn’t so frightening after all. </p><p>&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;</p><p>Hoseok huffs as he places Namjoon down. He wipes the sweat off his brow as he looks at the other man in question, “What the hell happened back there?” </p><p>Jin grunts as he is placed down on the next bed over by Jimin who continues to fret over the older man. Namjoon doesn’t answer which makes Hoseok look back at his patient who was mumbling to himself. </p><p>“He locked Lisha in a room and didn’t tell her,” Jin says as he flinches. Jimin was helping him out of his shirt but a sharp pain prevented him from lifting his arm higher than usual. Hoseok sighs. It was probably a sprained shoulder but from the way it looked out of place, the bruising will be severe. Jin winced as Hoseok poked at it, “Stop being so mean Hobi!”</p><p>Rolling his eyes at Jin's overdramatic reaction, Hoseok places his palm against the injury. A flash of white from his hand appears as he starts to heal Jin. Bruises appeared, dark blue and black which made Hoseok grimace. This was the best he could do for now. He tells Jimin to get bandages for the sprained shoulder. “I can't heal the bruising much so you're going to have to be in bandages for a while to keep the shoulder stable.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Jin says. Hoseok shrugs, “Just don’t get hurt again.”</p><p>Jimin sighs as he wraps the bandages around Jin’s shoulder, “Would you keep still? I can’t wrap this around you if you keep moving.”</p><p>“You’re wrapping it really tight!”</p><p>“Stop fidgeting, it’ll be over before you know it!”</p><p>Hoseok shook his head and turned his attention to Namjoon. It wasn’t a surprise to find the Namjoon in his own world but it unnerved Hoseok how his friend could be so intelligent and dense. His airhead, Hoseok thought endearingly. He shook himself out of his thoughts as Yoongi’s face comes to mind. The bruises he saw on Yoongi’s pale skin brought concern to the forefront of Hoseok’s mind. Namjoon had been calling people more often to the room for the smallest of mistakes recently, especially when the Shadow man started to appear. </p><p>“Namjoon,” Hoseok says, his voice stern. </p><p>“Hmm?” Namjoon hums as he turns to Hoseok. “What?”</p><p>“Are you okay?” Hoseok asks as his lips pulled tightly on his face, devoid of its usual smile.</p><p>Namjoon cocked his eyebrow at the question, “I’m fine.” He wasn’t sure why Hoseok was so worried, “Why do you ask?”</p><p>Hoseok closed his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation, “You haven’t been yourself lately.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>Hoseok looked towards Jin and Jimin who had stopped bickering and focused on the conversation. Clearing his throat, Hoseok motioned to the door, “I think it’s best if we talk about this in another room.”</p><p>“If you want to,” Namjoon answers as he shrugs his shoulders and heads for the door. Hoseok looks back at the other two left in the room, nodding his head with a smile to ease the worry in their eyes. “I’ll be back soon. Make sure to ice that shoulder Jin.”</p><p>In the hall, Hoseok ran quickly to catch up to Namjoon. He was fast even when beaten black and blue. They both made it to the meeting room which relieved Hoseok as what he was about to say needed to be private. He didn’t want to undermine Namjoon’s authority in front of an audience. </p><p>“What did you want to talk about?” Namjoon asks as he sits at the head of the table. Hoseok follows, placing his clenched hands on the smooth table in front of them, “Yoongi and Jungkook.”</p><p>Namjoon raises his brow with confusion, “What about them?”</p><p>“The state you left them in wasn’t right and you know it. We need people ready and we can't have any non-field related injuries with what's been happening with the Shadow man recently.”</p><p>“They failed to report important information that concerned the client-”</p><p>“And you compromised the team,” Hoseok says with finality. He was becoming worried about how rash Namjoon had been acting for the past few months. It was affecting team morale and their ratings with headquarters. The Shadow Man's appearance didn't make things better as Namjoon started to become more reckless with his decisions and actions.</p><p>“I mean, just last month, you took Jin, Jungkook, and Taehyung on a mission that ended with heavy injuries and Jungkook barely breathing!” Hoseok slammed his hands on the table, anger bubbling in his chest at the memory of Jungkook being brought in on the back of a bleeding Taehyung. Jin limped behind them, a gash on his brow as he dragged an unconscious Namjoon inside the infirmary. It wasn’t a pleasant sight and it was one that he hoped never to repeat. “What is going on with you?”</p><p>Namjoon grimaced, hands clenched on his lap as his head remained bowed. The darkness surrounding him was heavy with guilt as his tongue weighed down the words of apology he wanted to say. An exasperated sigh escapes Hoseok’s lips as he deflates. “Honestly, this is getting out of hand. The amount of times that people have gotten hurt in the past month doesn’t add up considering how last year we only had to deal with 2 scrapes! I don’t understand why you’re making careless mistakes.” </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Namjoon stutters out. Hoseok glances at him with narrowed eyes, “Sorry’s not gonna cut it out this time Namjoon. We need you to get it together. You’re our leader and we can’t have you taking unnecessary risks.”</p><p>“I know… it’s just,” Namjoon hesitates, his head lowering to the smooth table, “Chief is planning to transfer me to another team.”</p><p>Hoseok blinked while his shoulders tensed, “What?”</p><p>“He told me that if our team doesn’t meet standards this year, we’ll be disbanded and transferred.” </p><p>“That doesn’t make any sense!” Hoseok explodes. His hands slam the table once more, the sound echoing through the room and making Namjoon flinch. They were being disbanded. The thought of the team separating made Hoseok feel empty, a feeling he thought he’d never have to experience again when he made his second family. “I can’t accept this! What does he mean we need to meet standards? We’ve been the best performing team for the past 3 decades! What more does he want?”</p><p>“Caseload 130613,” Namjoon mumbles. Hoseok narrows his eyes at him, the number hauntingly familiar. “What about it?”</p><p>“Do you not remember it?” Namjoon asks. </p><p>Hoseok tilts his head in confusion. What was so important about caseload 130613? </p><p>“The missing case,” Namjoon says. Hoseok’s eyes lit in recognition, “That was the day-”</p><p>“The day eight became seven.” <br/>  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey guys. Thanks for sticking around and continuing to read! This chapter is late but it is a little longer cause I wanted to get the action rolling soon. It's gonna get pretty interesting as we find out more mysteries to be solved and some ships sailing in the next few chapters. </p><p>Stay safe and healthy everyone!</p><p>&lt;3 Hana</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. A Pizza and A Tour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>First impressions never do a person justice and to my surprise, Taehyung was not what I expected. I thought it would be awkward after having witnessed him and Jimin’s… alone time but he was easy to get along with. He was extremely friendly and said the most unusual things. For one thing, I never could have predicted how attached he became to Coco. He asked questions which Coco answered in turn. It was quite funny to watch them have a one-sided conversation but I felt bad that when Taehyung would assume an answer that I soon told him what Coco had said. </p><p>Coco was another enigma. From the way he chased and played with Taehyung, it seemed like he was a normal dog but the way he would nod or shake his head at something Taehyung said was a little unnerving. His responses were intelligent even with the odd questions Taehyung would have.</p><p>“What’s it like to be a dog?” Taehyung asked as he pulled on the tug rope he made from a towel he found lying around. </p><p>It’s an interesting existence. Better than being human, I suppose.</p><p>“You were human?” I asked, shocked that Coco had that ability.</p><p>For a time. I had to survive when I was cast out by your mother so I lived as a human.</p><p>I relayed Coco’s answer to Taehyung who nodded and continued to ask questions along the same line. He probably missed his dog from the way he curled his fingers around Coco’s fur. Both of them continued to play on the carpet as I just watched over them with a cup of coffee. I felt groggy after everything that happened and was feeling a crash coming. It felt strange to walk in the kitchen like I owned it but Taehyung didn’t say a word. I guess he didn’t mind as long as I didn’t touch any of his food. <br/>
  <br/>
“Lisha,” Taehyung says as he tugs on a rope Coco latched onto, “Are you hungry?” <br/>
  <br/>
The growling in my stomach was answer enough for him as a flush overwhelmed my cheeks. He grinned as he stood up and left Coco to play by himself, “Do you want to see if we can find something to eat?” </p><p>I nodded in answer, following him towards the kitchen. We went through the cupboards and refrigerator, finding nothing readily available. <br/>
  <br/>
“Uh…” Taehyung scratches his head, frowning slightly, “Do you want to order take-out?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Are we allowed to do that?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Sure,” Taehyung says shrugging as he riffled through one of the drawers filled with pamphlets, “Pick one that you like and they’ll deliver it.” </p><p>I glanced at the options he laid out in front of me curiously. There were Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and many other options to choose from that I was baffled by how many restaurants were nearby. It would make sense if they lived in the center of a city but from the few places I had gone into, it was more likely that it was located in the middle of nowhere. Leafing through the pamphlets, I glanced at the addresses trying to find out a general area. Maybe, it’d help me find an escape route faster. <br/>
  <br/>
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is in Chicago, Mary Grace is in… The Philippines? I grabbed another pamphlet, confused with the address. Musashi Menya was in Japan, Two Two Chicken was in Korea,  S&amp;P was in Bangkok… I’m confused. Oh wait, Meyers Deli sounds local… it’s in Frederiksberg, Denmark?! How is it possible to order from these restaurants when they’re all different countries?! <br/>
  <br/>
“Taehyung?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Hmm?” he hums as he looks at another menu… Singapore?! <br/>
  <br/>
“Which one’s the fastest?” I ask, hoping he’d give me a clue as to where the hell we are right now. <br/>
  <br/>
“Well, they all take some time but probably the fastest thing we can probably get is a pizza. Do you want Chicago-style, New York-style, or Italian style?” he asks nonchalantly as if they were made in the same place. <br/>
  <br/>
“Uh… which one is the closest for delivery?” I ask, wishing that we were closer to New York. My foster parents live in Pennsylvania anyway so it wouldn’t be too far to hop on a bus to get there. <br/>
  <br/>
“All of them are,” Taehyung answers. <br/>
  <br/>
“You’re kidding right?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Nope, they can all deliver within the hour. Just have to pick one,” he says playfully. This man is frustrating. Maybe I should just ask straight out how any of these restaurants can deliver when they’re all millions of miles apart from each other. <br/>
  <br/>
“Taehyung, how is that possible? One’s in New York and the other one is in a completely different continent!” <br/>
  <br/>
His eyes light up, “It’s a secret.” I sigh as he continues to leaf through the menus when he raises one excitedly, “Do you mind if we get a pizza from Pizzeria da Remo? I’ve been craving it since yesterday.” <br/>
  <br/>
“Sure,” I answer, a little dejected that I still haven’t narrowed down where I am. I guess it’s going to take a little more digging if I’m ever going to find answers. Everyone I’ve talked to has been reluctant to give straightforward answers  “Where are we exactly, Taehyung?” <br/>
  <br/>
He looks up at me from the menu he was holding. His other hand was holding a smartphone so that must mean we were in the range of a service tower at least. “Don’t you know?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Know what? I wouldn’t be asking if I did,” I mumble. Snark was escaping my mouth as exhaustion from recent events was catching up to me and he was the convenient victim. <br/>
  <br/>
“Well… oh give me a second,” he holds up his other hand before turning around and placing the pizza order. “Ciao, vorrei effettuare un ordine per la consegna. Tre prosciutto, Tre margherita, due verdure e due salsiccia.” <br/>
  <br/>
Wow. The fact that Italian flows from his mouth is amazing. His accent was prominent but it didn't seem out of place. The deep timbre of his voice complimented his accent and didn’t deter me from listening to it more. He finishes the call and quirks his brow at me with amusement, “What are you looking at?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Nothing!” I say as I quickly turn my gaze elsewhere. These goddamn cheeks were going to kill me with embarrassment if they didn’t stop heating up at every male that it encountered. Maybe it has been too long since I’ve had a boyfriend. Hah, who am I kidding? I’ve never even had a boyfriend. <br/>
  <br/>
“So it’s gonna take 45 minutes for the pizza to get here,” Taehyung says as he drops the menu back in the drawer of world-wide take out pamphlets. “What do you want to do?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Wait, you haven’t answered my question.” <br/>
  <br/>
“Oh,” he says stiffly as he ruffles the hair on his nape, “It’s a little complicated to explain but maybe it’d be better to show you?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Show me?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Yeah,” Taehyung takes my hand and drags me out, “Have they given you the tour yet?” <br/>
  <br/>
“Uh, not yet.” <br/>
  <br/>
“Good! I’m the best tour guide you’ll ever have. I guess we can start with my favorite room in the whole compound!” <br/>
  <br/>
“And what room is that?” <br/>
  <br/>
“You’ll see,” he says as a mischievous smirk appeared on his face, “By the time we’re done, we’ll be the best of friends.” <br/>
  <br/>
&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;*&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt; <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung tugged me along everywhere, his hand never leaving mine as we ran around to his ‘favorite places’. He first took me to the gallery which hosted artworks that I’d never seen before. Pottery, paintings, sketches, and sculptures filled the large room that even the ceiling and floor could be mistaken as artworks of their own. It was a sight to behold and I wanted to stay longer to admire each work however Taehyung dragged me out saying that we had to get moving if we wanted to finish the tour before the pizza arrived. <br/>
  <br/>
I was stunned when he opened up the doors to the next destination. It was a greenhouse filled with plants of many varieties. From blooming calla lilies to succulents in pots, each plant was bursting with life in a common space that shouldn’t be possible. I mean, I’m pretty sure cacti can’t grow right next to tomatoes… but hey what do I know? </p><p>The next room seemed to be for recreation as games lined one wall and multiple screens took up room in the other. To the far wall, a pool table was set up while bean bag chairs were scattered around in the center. If I could describe it, it was a gamer’s paradise with the number of things that could be done in that room. Taehyung had insisted we play a round of pool before leaving. I lost drastically which he consoled me for. He didn’t need to know that I knew my way around a game of pool. <br/>
  <br/>
The next rooms flew by quickly. He didn’t bother to elaborate the library, personal rooms, or kitchen as he claimed them to be ‘uninteresting’ and ‘not worth seeing’. We passed by the garage which housed three sedans and a large van. He even showed me where they kept the keys which I paid full attention to. It would come in handy for later. <br/>
  <br/>
The next sight my eyes lay on was breathtaking. It was a rotunda with a magnificent ceiling glimmering brightly with stars. Stairs went around the dark blue walls which only made the place even more beautiful. It reminded me of a planetarium as the glowing stars above seemed to move and shimmer without instruction. How was that possible? <br/>
  <br/>
"It's magic," Taehyung whispers, his deep voice surprising me as I find his face close to mine. <br/>
  <br/>
"W-what?" <br/>
  <br/>
"The ceiling. It's made of magic. Jin had a witch spell it a while back so the constellations are views from different galaxies," Taehyung murmurs as he looks up, "It's pretty, isn't it?" <br/>
  <br/>
"It is," I answer as I continue to glance at the beauty above. Taehyung's tugging interrupts my star gazing as he pulls me up the stairs. He opens a door to the side revealing a room filled with doors of many shapes and sizes. "This is the answer you've been wanting." <br/>
  <br/>
Before I could even ask what he meant a doorbell echoes through the room, "That'd be our pizza." Taehyung walks over to a heavy-looking wood door engraved with intricate designs. It looks worn but sturdy as if it were guarding the greatest secrets behind it. He turns the knob and reveals a man holding pizza boxes in his arms speaking Italian. They exchange pleasantries as the man walks off after Taehyung pays him. Curious, I took a step out of the door only to be greeted by an old neighborhood. Vines and plant life crawled against antiquated walls with chipping paint. Metal bars surrounded large windows on the street as lamps were scattered sparsely along with them. The street was paved with smooth gray bricks and the sound of singing could be heard from a distance. I continue out of the door only to be held back, "Ah-ah! I wouldn't go out there without anyone Lisha. You might get lost in the narrow streets even in the daytime." <br/>
  <br/>
"Where is this place?" <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung's brow raised in amusement as he balanced 10 boxes in his other hand, "Rome. Where else would we get the best Italian pizza?" <br/>
  <br/>
"But how-" <br/>
  <br/>
"It's magic," he says with a wink as he pulls me back through the door and closes it. I was still bewildered at the fact that I was swept away to Rome while I was unconscious. A smile graces Taehyung's face as he nods for me to follow, "Come on. Let's go eat some pizza." <br/>
  <br/>
Thoughts swirled in my head as I followed behind him, "Hey, what are those other doors for?" <br/>
  <br/>
"Hmm?" <br/>
  <br/>
"There were 12 other doors back in that room, what are they all for?" <br/>
  <br/>
"They do what all doors do." <br/>
  <br/>
"And what is that?" <br/>
  <br/>
"They open up to places," Taehyung says nonchalantly as we end up back in the kitchen. He places the boxes on the counter and grabs some plates from a cabinet, holding one up to me. I take the plate a little frustrated that he answers in a round-about way but that must mean that one of those doors leads back home. <br/>
  <br/>
"Do any of those doors lead back to Seoul?" I ask, watching him munch on a slice. <br/>
  <br/>
"Of course there's a door for Seoul but that's a tour for another time. Now eat your pizza." <br/>
  <br/>
"Is that pizza?" a voice mumbles sleepily behind me. I turn and find Kook rubbing his eyes groggily as he wanders closer to the counter. He reminded me of a rabbit with his nose sniffing around for food. It was kind of cute… for a grown man. He grabs a plate, opens a box, and fills it with 4 slices as he sits down on a seat. I couldn't help but notice how drained he looked. <br/>
  <br/>
Looking down at my plate, my attention was grabbed by the scintillating aroma of fresh pizza. I carefully held it and took my first bite resulting in an explosion of flavors I never expected. The cheese melted in my mouth as the fresh tomato and spicy sausage blend well with the crisp bread. This was one of the best pizzas I've tasted. I grab another bite before looking up and finding two pairs of eyes watching me. <br/>
  <br/>
"First time?" Taehyung asks, his eyes dancing in amusement. The way his cheeks lifted made him look impish which made my face heat up. "Yeah," I answer, placing the slice back down in embarrassment. Kook shrugs, a small smile on his face as he continues to eat, "I don't blame you, Pizzeria Da Remo is one of the best." <br/>
  <br/>
"I could tell," I say as I glance at his empty plate. He had downed the four slices like they were nothing and I'm kind of glad that Taehyung ordered 10. It seemed like 3 boxes would barely feed them both and if the other guys ate like this, I could only imagine that every box would be empty in less than a minute. <br/>
  <br/>
Kook shrugs as he shoves another pizza in his mouth, "I'm growing," he mumbles. Watching him eat made him look younger than I had initially thought. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know how old these guys were. <br/>
  <br/>
"Hey, how old are you?" I ask, watching the two in front of me down slice after slice. I'm pretty sure they weren't much older than I was. <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung froze mid-bite while Kook dropped his pizza. Thankfully, it landed on his plate or it would've been a disaster. The expressions on both of their faces were not what I expected and I immediately felt oddly guilty. <br/>
  <br/>
"Um, sorry. That was kind of rude. You don't have to answer-" <br/>
  <br/>
"We don't know," Kook says as he picks on the prosciutto on his slice. A frown set on his face like he wasn't sure of what he was saying. <br/>
  <br/>
"Huh?" <br/>
  <br/>
"It's a long story," Kook says as he glances at Taehyung who continues to be frozen. If I didn’t know any better I would mistake him for a statue with how still he sat. It was kind of funny how the pizza near his mouth didn't move either. Worried, I waved my hand over his face hoping to get a reaction from him. Nothing. Wow. He could get a job as a statue mimic if he could keep still so well.  <br/>
  <br/>
"Don't worry about him, he'll snap out of it soon." <br/>
  <br/>
"So, what's this long story? Why don't you know how old you are?" I ask as I look at Kook curiously. He fidgeted under my stare which made me feel like some sort of predator. Why was he always so nervous when he talks to me? <br/>
  <br/>
Taehyung seems to have snapped out of his reverie as he blinks and straightens in his seat. His expression noticeably darkened as he places the pizza he held mid-bite back on his plate. "Do you know how Sandmen are made?"  <br/>
  <br/>
"Made?" I repeat, staring at them both. Taehyung places a hand on Kook's shoulder to which Kook relaxes to. <br/>
  <br/>
"Yes," Taehyung says, "We weren't always sandmen. All of us were human once upon a time." <br/>
  <br/>
"Namjoon was the first, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jin followed soon after. Then Kook and I came a year after and Jimin was the last… I think." <br/>
  <br/>
"We all woke up one day in a white room with no memories. Our boss was standing there when we woke up and told us we had two options," Kook says. <br/>
  <br/>
"What were those options?" <br/>
  <br/>
"You either work or you die," Taehyung says, his chin was propped on his hands, elbows on top of the table as he stared at me with an intensity I couldn't fathom. It didn't match his youthful face. The darkness behind those eyes, what could he have experienced that made him look like that? <br/>
  <br/>
"So you don't remember anything? </p><p>“Nope,” Kook says. </p><p>I think of my friends and family as I look down at my pizza. Not being able to remember anything about them when they’ve done so much for me… “That’s kind of sad.”</p><p>“Why would that be sad? We don’t have any memory of how it was before so we don’t know anything other than what we’ve experienced as sandmen. It’s better that way,” Taehyung says. </p><p>“I guess but what about those who you left behind?” I murmur. They continue to eat the pizza in silence and I was unwilling to break it again for another question. From the way both of them quieted down, I may have hit a sore topic. </p><p>Bickering echoed from the hall as I heard familiar voices coming into the kitchen. </p><p>“Why the glum faces?” Jin says as he enters with Jimin. He looked worse for wear but the smile on his face was a relief to my guilt. “PIZZA!”</p><p>He ran towards the boxes, grabbing a plate for himself and handing another to Jimin, “Is this Pizzeria Da Remo? Why didn’t you call us?”</p><p>“Sorry,” Taehyung answers as Jimin sits next to him. They looked really good together but I had to look away so that I didn’t give away my embarrassment. Jin grinned as he caught my gaze. Ugh. Why did he have to be so mean?</p><p>“Did you guys call Yoongi?” Jimin asks as he grabs a slice. </p><p>“No, I should probably bring him some. He’s probably holed in his room right now,” Jin says as he grabs another plate. </p><p>“I can do it. You’re injured,” I say as I begin to stand up. Jin motions for me to continue sitting, “It’s fine. My shoulder’s not that bad.”</p><p>“Says the man who whined about it being wrapped,” Jimin snaps. </p><p>“You pulled it to tightly the circulation cut off!”</p><p>“I can do it, Jin.” Kook says standing up, “I’m finished anyway and I’m the next shift.”</p><p>“Sure,” Jin says handing him a plate with four slices. Wow, these guys can eat.</p><p>“I can come with you. I’m done right now too!”</p><p>Kook shrugs, “Sure, I guess…”</p><p>Perfect… </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey guys! First off, I really love pizza but I haven't been able to eat it with the COVID situation and what-not so this is my ode to my cravings. This chapter's a little bit longer with no action but I'm hoping to put the action in the next chapter! Stay tuned!</p><p>Be safe and I hope whatever you're going through gets better!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Coco doesn't go?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The glare of the monitor made the frustration on his face clear that he wasn't making any progress at all. Nothing about this night was going right. Each case took longer and became more tedious with every second his finger tapped on the keyboard. The newly implemented Restful Sleep System (RSS) was a definite pain in the ass. What was guaranteed to give OL(Ole Lukoje) teams 'better efficiency' was the greatest eyesore Yoongi ever encountered. <br/>  <br/>RSS… The newest technology that would revolutionize the way clients were put to sleep. What bullshit. All the system ever did was revolutionize Yoongi's mind to the point that he wanted to pull all his hair out. <br/>  <br/>Yoongi had told the other members that they shouldn't believe everything HQ promoted and all his advice ever went was in one ear and out six others. They all wanted to believe that everything would get better if they implemented this shit. <br/>  <br/>He was only on the second case of the day. The second case! The first client took 3 hours to put to sleep and that was with three forced dusting (FD) procedures. If he had done it the traditional way, Yoongi would have probably been halfway through the client list already. Why did they have to do it remotely anyways? It wasn't like they were ever found by the clients… well until recently.  <br/>  <br/>The client wasn't cooperating with their usual procedure and remained awake during the evening. Tossing and turning was always a sign that they had another one falling into the hole of insomnia. This was going to be another one of those cases where they had to personally visit and intervene. Another mission that needed to be authorized by the higher-ups involved mountains of paperwork that could be avoided if this stupid RSS actually worked.  <br/>  <br/>Yoongi sighed as he rubbed his temples to ease his growing headache. He wished Hoseok was nearby to help but he didn't want to become a burden. Hoseok already had enough on his plate and Yoongi could always just take another Tylenol. <br/>  <br/>He grabbed the drawer, rustling the random items he kept inside. Pens, paper pads, keys, mints, energy drinks… Where was the Tylenol? He continued to dig inside, wincing as his head pounded with every slight movement. He hated migraines but he could never avoid them. It always happened when he stared at a screen for too long. The nausea was the worst part of it all. The need to vomit was ever-present even when there was nothing but cold coffee in his stomach. <br/>  <br/>The sight of the red and white bottle captured his attention as the promise of sweet relief rolled in his hands. He popped two pills in his mouth and chugged it with the rest of his cold coffee. The bitter taste had become bland but it was better than heaving the pills dry. Yoongi reclined the seat back and closed his eyes. Maybe a nap would help. Jungkook was supposed to come in for his shift anyway so it wouldn't hurt if he rested for a few minutes. As he was beginning to drift off a knock on the door was heard. <br/>  <br/>"Yoongi, I brought you food." <br/>  <br/>"Thanks, Kook, I-" he stopped and looked at the girl behind Jungkook. "Why is she here?" <br/>  <br/>Jungkook placed the plate stacked with pizzas on the table as he glanced at the girl behind him, "She wanted to come along." <br/>  <br/>Yoongi's eyes narrowed at the girl, "Don't touch anything." <br/>  <br/>Lisha's brows furrowed as Yoongi glared at her "Okay…" <br/>  <br/>Yoongi got up. Dizziness overwhelming and making him stumble. Jungkook's hands were stretched out, ready to catch him but Yoongi caught himself with a quiet groan. <br/>  <br/>"Are you okay?" Jungkook asks, hand going towards Yoongi's forehead. <br/>  <br/>"I'm fine just a headache," Yoongi says, waving Jungkook off. <br/>  <br/>Jungkook frowned, "You've been getting headaches more often… You should go take a nap." <br/>  <br/>"I'm fine," Yoongi growled. He didn't want the others to worry. <br/>  <br/>"Okay, sorry," Jungkook says, waving his hands in surrender. Yoongi didn't like being mad at Jungkook but it was the only way to make him back off. <br/>  <br/>Jungkook looked at the monitor that Yoongi had been staring at for the past few hours, "Which client is this?" <br/>  <br/>"138525," Yoongi says as he watches the man on the screen turn on the mattress with a phone on his hand. He couldn't help but swear. <br/>  <br/>"Something going on with him?" Jungkook asks as he looks over the files on Yoongi's desk. <br/>  <br/>"Yeah, insomnia. He hasn't been able to sleep for the past 3 weeks and it's gotten worse." <br/>  <br/>"It's been happening more and more recently," Jungkook murmurs as he leans on the desk and watches Yoongi start FD procedures. Small dust particles begin to surround the client like a storm cloud. The man suddenly slumps in his bed, phone in hand falling to the mattress. <br/>  <br/>"Finally," Yoongi sighs as he massages his temples. It seemed like each case he had tonight was out to make his life more miserable than it already was. <br/>  <br/>"How many times was that?" Jungkook asks. <br/>  <br/>"Two. The first one had to have three FDs done before they fell asleep," Yoongi says. He pulls up the next case piled on the table. His brow furrows as a pulsing pain digs into the base of his nape. He bows his head and closes his eyes for a moment. <br/>  <br/>"Yoongi," Jungkook murmurs as he places a hand on Yoongi's shoulders. "I got this. Go take a nap, please?" <br/>  <br/>"But-" <br/>  <br/>"It's fine. My shift anyways so you should go lay down after you eat," Jungkook says. <br/>  <br/>"Thanks," Yoongi says as he stands, "If you need me, I'll be down the hall." <br/>  <br/>The door clicked shut as he left. Lisha placed her gaze upon the screens. She was alone with Jungkook and it seems the younger man was occupied with the folders on the table. It looked like there were 50 folders piled on top of one another which made Lisha's head spin. How did they go through all that in one night? <br/>  <br/>"Do you want to sit?" Jungkook asks as he looks up from the file he was working on. He motioned for the empty chair next to him as he pulled up something on the monitor in front of him. <br/>  <br/>"Thanks," Lisha says. The chair creaks slightly from her weigh making her wince. She didn't want to attract attention when it seemed like Jungkook was putting all his concentration on his work. Lisha wondered if there was anything she could do to help when the furrow on his brow deepened. <br/>  <br/>"Is there anything I can do to help?" <br/>  <br/>"Hmm?" Jungkook murmurs, "No. Most of this is just the usual protocol so all you need to do is sit tight." <br/>  <br/>"Okay," Lisha answers, deflating on the seat. She fiddles with her fingers as boredom begins to strike. She glances at the different monitors surrounding the room. Each one observing someone in near-darkness. It was kind of creepy in a stalker-ish kind of way. <br/>  <br/>With a small sigh, she looks down to find Coco laying near her feet. The shadow dog tilts his head, dark eyes poring into her own. <br/>  <br/>What's wrong? <br/>  <br/>Lisha bit her lip,<em> I was thinking of how to get out of here. </em><br/>  <br/><em>Why?</em> Coco blinked. <br/>  <br/><em>Because it seems like the right thing to do</em>, Lisha thinks, <em>Can you help me out? </em><br/>  <br/>Coco nods slightly as he stands and scratches the door leading back to the hallway. His small whines fill the room as Jungkook looks up from his work. <br/>  <br/>"When did you get a dog?" Jungkook asks. His eyes were wide, clearly startled at Coco's presence. <br/>  <br/>"Um… it's a complicated story," Lisha says, "He's basically a shadow dog." <br/>  <br/>"Does he need something?" Jungkook tilts his head curiously watching the dog paw at the door. <br/>  <br/>"Yeah, is there somewhere I can take him out to do business?" Lisha asks, fingers crossing behind her back. <br/>  <br/>"There's a greenhouse you can take him to. I'm sure Namjoon wouldn’t mind the extra fertilizer for his plants," Jungkook says. "I can take you there if you'll give me-" <br/>  <br/>"No, it's okay!" Lisha says, "I can figure it out if you just point out how to get there." </p><p>Jungkook stares at her for a moment making Lisha's heart thump wildly in her chest. She was hoping he didn't notice how she was beginning to sweat from the lies she was telling. <br/>  <br/>"Okay… Do you remember how to get back to the kitchen?" He asks as I nod, "Go past the kitchen two doors and it'll lead you to the greenhouse." <br/>  <br/>"Gotcha, two doors past the kitchen." <br/>  <br/>"Hold on, I can call someone to meet you-" <br/>  <br/>"No!" Lisha winces. She hopes he didn't catch on to her eagerness, "I'll be fine, don't worry." <br/>  <br/>She runs out closing the door behind her and following Coco down the hall. She looked to her left as she debated going down the hall where the kitchen was. She remembers that Taehyung pointed out the garage to be further down and she was sure she passed that painting on the wall before getting there. Worrying her lip red, Lisha decided to turn right. <br/>  <br/>"Where are you going?" a hard voice calls out. <br/>  <br/>Leaning on the wall, Yoongi stared at Lisha. Dark shadows surrounded him as a chill went down Lisha's spine at getting caught when she hadn't even done anything yet. <br/>  <br/>"I was going to the greenhouse. Coco needs to go…" Lisha murmurs. <br/>  <br/>The man sighs and rubs his head, clearly disappointed at having found Lisha in the midst of her escape. <br/>  <br/>"You took a wrong turn, Follow me." Yoongi turned down the hallway she was supposed to go then looked back when he found her standing still, "You coming?" <br/>  <br/>"Yes, sorry…" <br/>  <br/>Lisha hurried after him, the feeling of a missed opportunity weighing each of her steps. <br/>  <br/>"Would you hurry up?" <br/>  <br/>Lisha looked up from her moping walk and found Yoongi a few meters ahead of her with his arms crossed. The frown on his face made his eyes look more blood-shot. She thinks he would be more handsome if he didn't frown so much… <br/>  <br/>"Here," Yoongi points at the door leading to the greenhouse. <br/>  <br/>"Thank you," Lisha answers, a little dejectedly. She needed to plan her escape more thoroughly if she wanted to get out of this place.  <br/>  <br/>They made their way inside the greenhouse. Yoongi followed her inside as she made Coco pretend to go in the bushes. <br/>  <br/><em>This is unnecessary</em>, Coco huffs. <br/>  <br/><em>I'm sorry, it didn't work out the way I wanted to. </em><br/>  <br/>"The dog," Yoongi says as Coco pretended to finish, "Where the hell did he come from?" <br/>  <br/>Lisha poked her head out of the bushes, making eye contact with the man sitting on the bench near the fountain. His legs were spread out as he leaned his elbows on his knees. He looked otherworldly with the fountain water spraying behind him. The light shining on his face made the shadows under his eyes prominent as his lips blended with the rest of his skin. It made Lisha cringe as she thought of how he looked like a vampire at that moment. She had to stop reading too many fics with that trope. <br/>  <br/>"Uh, he's made of shadows…" Lisha answers. <br/>  <br/>Yoongi raises his brow, "If he's made of shadows why does he need to go?" <br/>  <br/>“Um, he ate some of the pizza earlier so he needs to get rid of that somehow,” Lisha answers praising herself in her head but the moment she looks at Yoongi she begins to panic. He didn't look like he was buying it. </p><p>“Shadows don’t eat,” Yoongi says.</p><p>Lisha bites her lip, “How would you know?”</p><p>Yoongi shrugs, “I don’t.”</p><p>Lisha breathes a sigh of relief. </p><p>“But I do know that he didn’t need to go,” Yoongi says. “So why were you wandering around the halls?”</p><p>“I told you, I was trying to find the greenhouse-”</p><p>“Save it,” Yoongi growls as he stands from the bench and stalks over to Lisha “Why were you wandering the halls?”</p><p>“I wasn’t-”</p><p>Lisha panics as she backs towards a wall. Yoongi follows her and slams his arms around her face, leaving her no escape, “Why were you in the halls?”</p><p>“I-I…”</p><p>She always regretted lying but she couldn’t help it. It was a habit she’d grown over the years. Little white lies every now and then never hurt, especially when it helped keep Seri from going mama-bear. They were small excuses. Nothing but tidbits of useless information that nobody cared about. </p><p>“Don’t bother getting your shadows to help,” Yoongi says, “the light in the greenhouse keeps them away. So tell me, what were you planning?”</p><p>“I wasn’t planning anything,” Lisha says. She was determined to keep to her story.</p><p>Yoongi huffs, “Do you realize that your nose shakes when you lie?”</p><p>Lisha faced him, “My nose doesn’t shake.”</p><p>“How long do you think you can keep this up?”</p><p>“As long as it takes,” Lisha retorts. She was not backing down. She always hated when men thought they had the upper hand. Lisha’s eyes widened when she felt his thigh come between hers. His hand grabbed her wrists and pulled them up to hit the wall. She heard the chains clanging above her as she found cold metal wrapping around her wrists. </p><p>“Hey-”</p><p>He bent down, grabbing her legs as he opened a latch on the wall which revealed a bar that had ankle restraints. Before Lisha could kick her way out, Yoongi had locked her ankles down and stood up to face her. </p><p>“Are you crazy?! Let me go!”</p><p>“Are you going to tell me what you were doing in the hall?” Yoongi asks.</p><p>“I already told you I was-”</p><p>“Lies,” Yoongi looks around and spots a stool that he brings over. He sits down and faces Lisha nonchalantly. </p><p>“You f-ing asshole,” Lisha spits. </p><p>Yoongi shrugs, “I’ve been called worse.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi guys! It's been too long and I'm back. It was a terrible week last week and it all started with my birthday. Then a power outage that crashed my computer and deleted my new chapter file... huhu... I guess that's one way of celebrating getting one year older. Anyways, I tried to recreate the chapter I wrote as quickly as possible. </p><p>I've also realized that I was writing in both third person and first person POVs. I was wondering if any of you have a preference towards one or the other and maybe I'll stick to that for the rest of the story. </p><p>Anyways let me know below!</p><p>Stay safe lovelies! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. NEWS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>***Not an update***</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hi guys! </p><p>It's been almost 2 months since I updated since I was seriously stuck on the next chapter and how to progress the story. Blame my pantser tendencies on this issue. </p><p>I debated this for a couple of weeks and decided I'm going to rewrite the whole fic. I plotted the whole thing out and feel like it's better than what I have. </p><p>The same concept will be done but please look forward to it!!! </p><p>On the plus side... Anyone excited for the upcoming concert this weekend? I don't have tickets for it but I'm glad they're keeping busy 🙂</p><p>Alright duckies, I'll see you when I update! Stay safe out there!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi Guys! I've kind of been MIA for a while since I haven't had any inspiration to write at all. Got back into KPOP and now we have ideas flowing once again (&gt;_&lt;). I hope you like this idea and any constructive criticism will be much appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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